


These Are The Darkest Days - Book 2 - Never Say Die

by Eve_Iyapo



Series: These Are The Darkest Days [2]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Multi, Rape/Non-con Elements, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 15:53:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 55,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5096423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eve_Iyapo/pseuds/Eve_Iyapo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dolph and Big E are trying desperately to find a way to rescue AJ and Kaitlyn even going so far as to receive help from some strange and unlikely characters. Meanwhile AJ and Kaitlyn are working on their own plan to escape the brutal and terrifying affection of The Brothers of Destruction. They will find a way back home to the young men they love or they will die trying.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Happenstance

**Author's Note:**

> Theme song for this fic is 'Never Say Die' by Sleigh Bells.

Dolph Ziggler stepped outside of the restaurant, plunging his hands into the pockets of his blazer. He threw his head back, basking in the warmth of the sun after being inside the air conditioned building for a couple of hours. Dolph was confident he was going to be accepted into the college and the informal lunch he just had with the school's football coach had gone pretty well. Hearing a car horn honk off to his left he waved at the man who was entertaining the thought of offering him a full athletic scholarship.

"Well Kaitlyn, I think I'm getting in. I hope you're proud of me babe." Dolph often found himself speaking aloud to Kaitlyn as if she could hear him. Somehow, it made him feel better.

It had been little over a year since AJ and Kaitlyn had been thrown into the vortex. Although the police had no evidence of foul play on Dolph's part, that hadn't stopped the rumors and stares. He remained popular at school but certain students were leery of him while the added danger made him more popular amongst the girls of the school. In spite of the time he spent researching vortexes and where they might lead to, Dolph did manage to keep his grades up and his performance on the football field was always stellar. After a while his parents let him have his Range Rover back and he used it to travel to the city 50 miles away from the town he lived in. The city offered more resources and he spent many, many hours inside the downtown library.

As he walked to his car Dolph was trying to ignore the butterflies in his gut. There was a reason he asked the football coach to meet him in the city and not at home. Today was the day he was going to meet the man who ran one of the vortex sites he came across. After reading through each and every page, Dolph had become absolutely positive that this man was the real deal so he emailed him. To his surprise the man emailed him back almost right away and they stayed in correspondence for a few months till Dolph was ready to meet him.

Reaching the parking lot, Dolph got into his Rover and drove off. The address was already in his GPS on the dash and from the look of things it was likely that the man's home was on the outskirts of the city.

"Today's the day babe. Today's the day I found out how to rescue you. You and AJ."

Dolph's mouth was set in a thin determined line as he navigated the streets of the city, hoping to hit the highway soon. At a four-way intersection, with the on ramp to the freeway just in sight, Dolph happened to glance out of his passenger side window and jerked back in surprise. There, walking down the sidewalk was his estranged best friend, Big E Langston. Before he had a chance to really think about it, Dolph swerved his vehicle into the far right lane, completely ignoring the angry honks of the cars around him. He rolled his window down and yelled to get his attention.

"Et… Ettor… Shit, Big E! Over here man!"

Ettore Langston's head whipped around quickly while trying to figure out who was yelling his name. When he saw Dolph he couldn't help but smile despite him purposefully avoiding him after the girls disappeared.

Dolph waved him forward frantically since he was holding up traffic. "Can I give you a ride? Please?"

Big E looked around and then sighed resignedly. He walked up to the Range Rover and got inside the passenger seat, right as the light was turning yellow. Dolph sped quickly out of the way and went through the intersection. He wanted to talk to his friend it had been so long; so he pulled off into the parking lot of a McDonalds and parked the car.

The blonde turned to look at Big E, his face now guarded and cautious.

"Umm… How have you been?"

Big E reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a notebook and began scribbling into it.

"I'M BETTER NOW. JUST PICKED UP THE OFFICIAL DIVORCE PAPERS FOR MY MOTHER."

Dolph nodded. "That's great man. Really."

"THANKS."

"So… umm…" Dolph almost ran a hand through his hair before remembering that it was gelled back. "Geez, look Big E I know you had your reasons for not wanting to see me over the past year. I'm hoping that now you'll be willing to listen to me."

Big E stared at him a moment thoughtfully before scribbling onto the notebook.

"I'M SORRY DOLPH. IT WASN'T YOU. IT WAS ALL ME. I JUST COULDN'T FACE YOU OR ANYONE AFTER FAILING AJ. I FAILED HER WHEN SHE PLACED SO MUCH TRUST IN ME. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN."

"How about now? Would you be willing to try now? I have a real lead I think in finding her and Kaitlyn. I'm on my way there now in fact. Say you'll come. Please bro, I need you with me." Dolph looked hopefully at his friend, ready to beg if need be.

Big E heaved his huge shoulders up in a sigh.

"OKAY. I'M IN. WHERE ARE WE GOING?"


	2. The Farm

It turned out that the location of the man's home was actually a farm just outside of the city. Or at least it used to be a farm. As Dolph and Big E drove through the gate, they couldn't help but notice how run down the place looked. It was if there hadn't been any crops grown in years. The barn was in bad need of a paint job and from the bumpy feel of the road, the gravel hadn't been filled in in quite some time. Dolph was feeling a bit anxious but with his friend at his side, he felt ready to handle whatever they may be walking into.

He parked directly in front of the farm house which looked nearly as run down as the barn. It was white but the paint was peeling off the planks of wood and the shutters were all boarded over, a guarantee to keep sunlight from inside. Vines were growing all along the side of the house, eerily reminding Dolph of the original Amityville Horror flick.

Big E didn't like the place at all. But if Dolph was right, that the man that lived here knew how to help them find AJ and Kaitlyn then he was willing to put aside his uneasiness for the moment.

Dolph cleared his throat. "I guess I should knock on the door, huh?"

Big E looked at him and shrugged.

Straightening his shoulders and standing tall, Dolph walked up the porch steps and knocked on the door before taking a step back. They waited a couple of minutes and after hearing nothing, Dolph knocked again.

"He's waiting for you around back."

"Fuck!" Dolph gasped in surprise as he and Big E both whirled around to see a man standing behind them. The man was huge, his height dwarfing both of the boys. He had brown eyes, long stringy black hair and a full beard. There was an odd vacant look in his eyes that was somehow simultaneously focused. He was wearing old blue jeans, a dirty grey tank top and an open flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off. The man stared at the two for a moment before walking around to the back of the house.

Big E and Dolph hesitated, looking at each other. Ultimately they decided to follow the strange man, hoping secretly that they weren't about to get assaulted, or worse.

On the screened in back porch were two other men. One of them was sitting in a rocking chair, slowly rocking back and forth, smiling to himself. He stroked his beard with a satisfied look on his face when he saw Dolph and Big E coming. This man was dressed oddly in a loud Hawaiian shirt and white linen pants. He was holding a glass of ice tea that he took a sip from time to time. The second man was standing behind him, wearing green coveralls and a tattered plastic sheep mask over his face. There was a long red beard sticking out from under the bottom of the mask he wore.

Dolph refrained from turning to look at his friend incredulously. It was clear that these men were _different_. How different though? Big E and Dolph were about to find out.

The man with the black hair took his place beside the one in the mask while they both stood behind the one in the rocking chair. The man in the chair gestured for the boys to come forward and they did, entering the screened in porch, the door slamming shut behind them.

Dolph squinted as he looked at the man sitting. "Are you… Bray Wyatt?"

The man in the rocking chair smiled, genuinely pleased. "That I am. I'm so happy that you came to see me Dolph." Then looking Big E up and down he grinned even wider. "You and your friend. Please, have a seat."

Big E and Dolph sat in chairs opposite Bray Wyatt.

"You know why we're here," said Dolph after a few minutes passed by in silence.

Bray chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Do I know why you're here? Of course I know! The missing girls… The missing girls they tried to pin on you! They're on the Other Side now. They're there where they'll be for all eternity."

Dolph frowned and he leaned forward looking intensely into Bray Wyatt's eyes. "In your emails you said you knew how to get them back. You said you knew how to open a vortex."

"And I do! Dolph. But I don't have all the tools necessary to open the vortex," responded Bray. He took a sip of the tea and resumed rocking. "But don't you want to know who has the girls? Who's keeping your Kaitlyn and AJ from you?" Bray chuckled to himself seemingly tickled by this line of questioning.

This time Dolph did turn to look at Big E and there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze. "What do you mean someone _has_ them? The Hounds threw them into the vortex and said they'd be going to the Other Side."

"Ah yes! But there was someone waiting for them on the Other Side. Two someones. To very dangerous men who are not men. They'd been watching your girls for years, perhaps all their lives waiting for the right moment, waiting for some weak souls to do their bidding!"

"The Hounds," hissed Dolph through grit teeth. He cut his eyes to Big E, not surprised to see his friend's fists balled up tight.

Bray leaned forward suddenly, his cheery demeanor gone as if it never existed. "The men who are not men. They are The Lord of Darkness and The Devil's Favorite Demon. Brothers of Destruction. Eater of Souls, siphoning the evils of your town to feed their hunger. But they also crave female flesh. They gain unimaginable power when they can slake their lust for the fairer sex. Their power grows even more if they can bind the girls to them."

Dolph was so entranced by what Bray was saying he failed to notice Big E writing on his notepad.

Big E held up the pad for Bray to see.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?"

Immediately Bray Wyatt leaned back in his chair, rocking slowly. The man with the black hair behind him put a hand on his shoulder and it seemed to comfort him a bit. Turning his attention back to Big E and Dolph he said, "I too, know what it is to lose someone to The Brothers of Destruction. My sister… Abigail. For you see, I used to live in your town. I know the misery it causes! I know how the weak are exploited! Things were hard for us, but my sister stayed strong, but her strength also made her vulnerable to the evil that plagued us. One day a rival of mine began to stalk her. He followed her day and night, harassing the both of us! He kidnapped her but I found them! I found them right as he threw her into that vortex! Things are hazy after that but I woke up in the hospital some weeks later and I was told that my sister had run away."

Bray shook his head and took a long swallow of tea. Taking a deep breath he looked deep into their eyes as he continued. "Perhaps six months later, my dear sweet Abigail just appeared! She showed up looking nothing like she did before she disappeared. Her eyes… Her eyes were full of horrors I couldn't even imagine. She told me that they would come for her, that she didn't have much time. She told me about The Brothers of Destruction, about how they had a hand in every despicable thing that had happened in her life! Then she begged me to kill her." Bray ran a hand back through his hair in agitation, reliving the memory.

"She wanted to die! Said she wouldn't be free of them even in death but at least she would no longer feel their hands on her body, or their flesh inside of her! She begged me to do it! But I couldn't. I couldn't do that to my sweet Abigail… So she did it herself. She took my knife and slit her throat right in front of me! I could say nothing, I just grabbed her and held her in my arms as she slipped away."

Big E's throat was tight as he listened to the man's story. Was that what AJ was going through right now? It never occurred to him that AJ would have to fend off evil of that nature on the Other Side. Now he felt even guiltier about shutting Dolph out for an entire year.

As if reading his thoughts, Dolph put a hand on Big E's arm. "We didn't know man. There's no way we could have known." Then to Bray he said, "I'm sorry about your loss. But in my heart I know that Kaitlyn and AJ are still alive. Is there any way you can help us?"

Bray seemed to swallow his grief back down with more of the ice tea. "I will help you boys. I will help you learn all I know about vortexes and the Other Side. But it is getting late. I have to preach to my followers, to my 'family'. I will contact you on when we can meet again. Luke? Please escort these two boys to their vehicle. Erick, help me prepare for the vigil."

It was clear that they weren't going to get anything else from Bray tonight so Dolph and Big E followed Luke to the Range Rover. He watched silently as they got into the vehicle, his dark hooded eyes, alternating between focused and unfocused, chilling both boys in a way they chose not to dwell on.

Back on the freeway Dolph shook his head, all the information they learned swirling inside his brain. Kaitlyn and AJ were still alive. But they were witnessing things unimaginable, they were participating in acts that made Dolph's stomach turn. But now they had a lead, a solid lead on how they might get the girls back.

"We're going to get them back Big E. I just know it."

Big E patted Dolph on the shoulder, nodding. He knew it too.

 


	3. It's In The Morning...

AJ yawned and stretched, blinking rapidly as she attempted to wake up fully. She found that she was alone in the immense bed but she took no relief in that. Rolling over she found that her trepidation was warranted. _He_ was in the room alright, sitting in an armchair nearest the window, staring at her.

 _"_ _Does he ever sleep?" thought AJ, curious and annoyed._ On the days where she didn't wake up alone he was always watching her. Either he was in the bed with her, staring down at her or he was in the chair watching her.

Sitting up, AJ let the sheet fall down to her waist, leaving her small breasts bare and exposed. In her time here, AJ had learned quickly that modesty was for the birds. The first time she had tried to cover up in front of Kane he'd ripped the garment off her and forced her to walk around naked for two whole days. That had been incredibly embarrassing considering she saw her father flitting around castle during that time. Thankfully he hadn't tried to speak to her, but she could see the pity on his face.

The second time he had simply burned the clothes off of her, giving her a few burn scars in the process. One of the scars was at her waist, the other on her neck. After Kane had walked out of the room, presumably disgusted and annoyed with her, one of the ghost servants, a young girl who must've been about AJ and Kaitlyn's age when she died, brought her some of the fruit to eat. Unfortunately they'd both been surprised to learn that Kane's flames couldn't be healed completely and thus, scars remained.

Sighing, AJ crawled to the edge of the bed. She shivered a bit as the chill of the castle hit her naked flesh causing goosebumps. AJ was further relieved, however, to see that Kane, although shirtless was wearing pants. Pants in the morning meant that she didn't have to spend hours pleasuring him.

_"_ _Morning little one," he said in her head finally._

AJ kept her eyes on the silk bedspread beneath her hands. For months now she had been unable to speak. The pure horror of her first night here, the monster forcing his way inside of her, the sound of her mother's screams in the flames seeming to spur him on, the intense pressure and burning between her legs as her virginity was stolen from her… That night had broken something in AJ and she simply didn't have the will to repair it, to reclaim her voice.

Kane chuckled, amused for once, instead of frustrated. He missed her sweet voice but understood that his overzealousness the night she arrived was partially responsible for her silence. In a way, he envied his brother. Undertaker had control that he did not possess. Kaitlyn still spoke though at times it was obvious she didn't want to. Undertaker was loving and affectionate when he wasn't being cruel. Kane knew that his own brand of affection could be interpreted as malicious but he hoped that AJ would eventually see it for what it was.

 _"_ _Will you ever speak again? Did I ruin you little one?"_ Kane spoke in AJ's head though he was mostly thinking to himself.

AJ could hear the amusement in his words to her and she fought not to react. Still, a few tears slid down her cheeks and she sniffled, depression coming over her like a dark cloud. She looked up at Kane, waiting for some sort of sign as to what he wanted from her, hoping against hope that he would leave her be this morning.

Kane cocked his head to the side as he stared at her. After a long moment he waved his hand in the direction of the bathroom. He watched as she scurried into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. His huge bare shoulders heaving up in silent laughter, Kane rose from the chair and left the bedchamber.

"Ohhh… Please…"

Kaitlyn clutched fistfuls of the sheets as she awakened to the Undertaker pleasuring her mercilessly with his tongue. She often awoke this way and every time she begged and pleaded with him to stop. But eventually her body would betray her and she would cry out as she flooded his mouth with her release.

This time was no exception. Kaitlyn's legs shook as she came, her release squirting like a geyser into the Undertaker's waiting mouth. The sound of him slurping as he lapped at her folds brought a second orgasm right on the heels of the first one and it was just as powerful. Kaitlyn thrashed on the bed, tears leaking from her eyes as she came harder than she ever had so far.

"No more. No more…" she moaned weakly. It seemed that Undertaker decided to take pity on her and he moved so that he was lying beside her.

He grinned at her, his green eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. He chuckled before letting his eyes roll back in the sockets as he licked his lips.

"Sweet as always babydoll," he said finally looking back down at her. Her skin was already flushed but her cheeks went a deeper red and she looked away from him. Laughter rumbled deep in his chest as he sensed her embarrassment.

"You're almost ready for me Kaitlyn."

At that Kaitlyn rolled back over to face him, fear fresh on her face. "I won't ever be ready for you," she whispered with conviction.

A flash of anger flickered across his face but was gone quickly. Instead, he smiled at her and it was decidedly wicked. "You may think that is true, but your body knows better babydoll. If my tongue can make you squirt your pleasure, just imagine what my rock hard cock will do…" He reached for her hand and placed it on his long thick hardness for emphasis.

In spite of herself Kaitlyn blushed and felt herself tingle against her wishes. She snatched her hand away and frowned at him. Undertaker simply laughed before rising from the bed and snapping his fingers, causing a pair of leather pants and boots to appear on his previously naked form. Kaitlyn shuddered, she couldn't ever seem to get used to him using magic in front of her.

"Kane and I have business to attend to. I give you and AJ permission to roam the castle as you wish with the exception of the dungeon. Understood?"

Kaitlyn nodded. "Understood."

"Good." Then inhaling deeply, The Undertaker smiled. "I can still smell your essence in my beard and on my face. I think I will forego washing today." At the deep blush that reappeared on Kaitlyn's face Undertaker rumbled with laughter before turning to walk out of the bedchamber.

Kaitlyn fell back onto the pillows sighing deeply. She hated him. She hated him so much and the way he made her feel only intensified that hatred. She should be waking up in Dolph's arms! Not this otherworldly demon of a man. And every time he made her come, Kaitlyn felt a part of her soul die. She felt like she was cheating on Dolph even though she had no control over what was happening to her.

"Dear God…. I just want AJ and me to go home! Even if we only live long enough just to say goodbye to Dolph and Big E…"

"That could be arranged," echoed a female voice in the doorway.

Kaitlyn sat bolt upright in surprise, relaxing when she saw that it was the young girl ghost servant.

"Did I hear you right? You and your friend would accept your fate should you make it out of here?" questioned the ghost. Her being wavered brightly as she waited for an answer.

Kaitlyn stared at her a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Yes we're willing to do anything to see them again. We will deal with the consequences."

The ghost girl smiled sadly. "That's good to hear. Because I want to help you."


	4. The Devil You Know

Undertaker pulled his dark shades down, resting them on his nose to block out the glare of the bright yellow sun overhead. It had been decades since he left the Other Side and he had to admit, he rather liked it here. Too bad this was about business. Snorting his annoyance he turned to see his brother Kane pacing discontentedly back and forth while they waited for the guest of dishonor to arrive.

Kane growled as he pulled on the thick black glove on his right hand. He was more than ready to open a vortex and get back to the castle. Ever since AJ had arrived he was loathe to being away from her for any amount of time. Growling once more he stopped his pacing to glare at the Undertaker.

_"_ _Brother! He's late!"_

Taker shrugged while rolling his head about his shoulders to pop his neck. _"We wait Kane. This is important."_

_"_ _He will never agree to our terms. You know this."_

Once again the Undertaker shrugged. _"Our girls will give us the strength to succeed should he refuse."_

_"_ _I'd rather he refuse. We haven't participated in a war in over a century."_ The very thought filled Kane with anticipation and his fists clenched, imagining, remembering.

Undertaker's upper lip curled up in a smirk. Although he felt the same way, war was a real hassle and since the girls weren't bound to them yet, the odds were slightly stacked in their potential enemy's favor.

There was a slight rumbling in the ground several yards from where they were. Kane went to stand beside his brother, both of them waiting with fisted hands on their hips as their guest made his entrance.

Suddenly there were cracks in the desert floor as the ground erupted in front of them. Sand, rocks and chunks of debris flew up in the air during what felt and looked like a localized earthquake. When the dust and earth settled a man was standing in the center of a crater, staring at Undertaker and Kane.

He wore a long dusty brown trench coat and slacks with a pair of work boots. His hair was blonde and wild, sticking out every which way. He looked human except for his eyes. His eyes were red with slit pupils… like a goat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said in a tone that revealed he wasn't sorry at all. "I simply couldn't tear myself away from the new batch of souls. You know how it is."

Undertaker gave the barest of smiles. "Yeah. We know how it is. Are you ready to negotiate?"

"Ooh! Straight to the point as always!" exclaimed the man who was not a man. "You know I've always liked that about you Taker. Business first; it's such a wonderful quality to have, although it also makes you an insufferable bore."

Walking towards the brothers, he held his arms out as if expecting an embrace, his coat flapping in a breeze that seemed to come from nowhere.

"I do so love it here. And the people… the people are so delectable, so suggestible… I never tire of corrupting them, filling their hearts with darkness so when they finally die, they're mine for all eternity. People," he snorted and rolled his eyes.

"People… All of them just sacks of fleshy meat. Wouldn't you agree?" His voice trailed off to a menacing growl as he finally stopped less than a foot away from the brothers.

"Look we don't have all day Mephistopheles," said Taker, suddenly impatient. He stared into the goat like eyes without blinking. "Did you bring the contract?"

Mephistopheles grinned in such a way that would have been frightening to anyone other than the Brothers of Destruction. "Of course! Did you really think I would come all this way without it?" He snapped his fingers and a thick scroll appeared in a haze of purple smoke. He gave Undertaker a meaningful look whom then plucked the floating scroll out of the air and handed it to Kane. Kane in turn gripped the scroll tightly, scanning it for inconsistencies and half truths, things Mephistopheles was known to try.

"So… I hear you finally retrieved your precious girls," said Mephistopheles with a sly smile. "How's that working out for you? Young ones are best don't you think? I still remember Persephone… Yes… she was sweet; so sweet. I'll bet your _Kaitlyn_ is just as sweet, maybe more; eh Taker?"

Undertaker's eyes narrowed. "Spying on us again?"

Mephistopheles shrugged unconcerned with the anger pouring off Taker and Kane (who had finally finished analyzing the contract) in waves. "I have to know all that I can. Your Other Side territory is no exception."

Kane grunted to get Undertaker's attention. _"Brother, this contract is faulty at best, a travesty at worst. He's trying to play us."_

Taker looked at him, his anger threatening to spill over. _"How so?"_

_"_ _There's a clause stating we give up 70% of the souls we take and siphon in exchange for some meaningless Underworld privileges."_

Enraged Undertaker's attention shot back to the grinning being in front of him. "You've wasted our goddamn time Mephistopheles! You knew this contract of yours was shit."

"Then tell me what do you want? Maybe we can come to some sort of… agreement."

Undertaker looked back at Kane who nodded once. Turning his attention back to Mephistopheles he said, "We want a clean break. We're no longer indebted to you and haven't been for over fifty years now. We want to be completely free of you with the only condition being we stay out of the Underworld and you stay out of the Other Side."

Mephistopheles' eyes flashed, the only thing giving away his true feelings on this new arrangement. "While it's true that you are no longer indebted to me, I have provided you two with plenty of favors over the years."

"None of which we asked for," countered Undertaker.

"Look I'm sure there is a mutually beneficial arrangement that we can come to," he said pursing his lips.

"Yeah there is. The one I just told you." Undertaker folded his arms across his chest and his brother Kane did likewise, their stance brooking no room for argument.

Mephistopheles gave a dramatic sigh. "At least give me some time to think it over. This split was so sudden!"

_"_ _Let's give him two weeks to decide. We'll bind the girls to us before then so no matter what he chooses to do, we are prepared," said Kane in Taker's mind._

Taker nodded slowly, mulling over what his brother had said. _"That makes perfect sense Kane. Good thinking."_

"Alright Mephistopheles, here's what's going to happen. We're going to give you two weeks, earth time, to think over our proposal. We meet back here in this desert for your answer. Either way a resolution will be reached."

Mephistopheles chuckled and it was a chilling sound. "Alright then, I'll see you both in two weeks. The ground erupted at their feet, cracking and splitting, forcing the Brothers of Destruction to take several steps back as the bane of their existence was swallowed back into the earth.

Undertaker and Kane stared at each other the moment he disappeared.

_"_ _We're going to have to go to war. He will not let us go willingly," said Kane, a hard edge to his mental voice._

_"_ _If it comes to that, we'll handle it. He has no clue what he's getting into if he doesn't agree to our terms, said Taker with conviction."_

_Kane seemed to consider that a moment before changing the subject entirely. "Brother… I have a… concern."_

_"_ _Hmm?"_

_"_ _AJ… I'm unable to get through to her."_

_At that Taker almost smiled. "Human females require a bit more finesse than the demi-demon bitches you're used to Kane. I pleasure Kaitlyn regularly and it makes her… receptive to my wishes."_

_Kane cocked his head to the side as he stared at his brother. "You're saying I'm too rough with her."_

_"_ _She's tough, Kaitlyn's tough, it's why we chose them. But they're only human and their emotions and feelings they have for the boys from their town are making it difficult for them to accept us."_

_"_ _I want her acceptance now!" rumbled Kane. "Her fear of me, while delightful, seems counterproductive."_

_"_ _That's because it is. Tonight, take your time with her, be gentle, try to give her as much pleasure as she gives you, see if it doesn't loosen her up some. It's important that she's no longer terrified of you or the binding won't take. Mephistopheles will smell the weakness on us."_

Kane nodded, mulling over what his brother had just told him. Gentle? He was going to have to be gentle? So far AJ had been able to take whatever he had dished out but it was now occurring to him that just because she _could_ take it didn't mean that she _should._

Undertaker could tell that Kane was thinking about what he said and he smiled to himself. Hopefully he would take his advice and soon. War was imminent and the girls must be bound to them by then.

The sun was starting to set in the sky and the desert was cooling rapidly. Snapping his fingers, a beautiful black Harley appeared right in front of him. Taker climbed on to the motorcycle and started it up, the engine roaring to life. Grinning he turned to look at his younger brother.

"You coming?"

Kane smiled underneath his mask. He raised both his arms and brought them down again quickly causing flames to shoot up into the air. When the flames and smoke cleared a menacing black and red Harley was in its place. Kane threw his leg over the side and gunned the engine before following his brother across the desert landscape.

 


	5. Live On Or Be Gone

AJ walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a huge fluffy red towel, steam trailing out behind her. Since Kane was nowhere around, clothing seemed to be a relatively safe option. With that in mind she headed towards the dresser, deciding on what to wear. She stopped short when she saw several small hair clips and barrettes on the dresser that hadn't been there earlier. They were cute and even to her taste but she scooped them up and threw them on the floor. Frowning hard she got dressed hastily, opting for one of the floor length robes Kane liked on her. She justified it by considering it a 'thank you' to him for not forcing himself on her in the morning, and perhaps he'd even take it easy on her when he got back and saw her wearing it.

"AJ? You don't like the barrettes I got you?"

Startled, AJ whirled around to see her father's form floating just inside the door. She glared at him, both for him scaring her and also because she couldn't stand the sight of him. AJ crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head, refusing to give him the satisfaction of continued eye contact.

Mr. Lee's glowing being dulled with disappointment. He floated inside the room and scooped up the clips and barrettes and put them back on the dresser. "AJ I'm sorry. I know you're tired of hearing it but I'm going to keep saying it until you forgive me. Although I'll understand if you never do. I love you babygirl and I always will. I didn't mean for this to happen to you and your friend. And I'm going to tell you ever single day if I have to."

Not wanting to hear anymore AJ strode past her father and out of the bedchamber, leaving him dejected and saddened. She wanted to find Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn could always make her feel better.

Several minutes later found AJ walking into Undertaker and Kaitlyn's shared bedchamber. Kaitlyn was sitting on the bed talking to one of the ghost servants. Head cocked to the side in confusion, AJ walked over to the bed and climbed onto it next to Kaitlyn before lying down with her head in Kaitlyn's lap. AJ stared at the ghost girl with an odd look of jealousy and curiosity but she sighed contentedly when Kaitlyn began stroking her hair.

"Morning sis. I was wondering when you'd show up. How are you feeling?" asked Kaitlyn with a wry grin. She knew AJ well enough to know she was feeling a little neglected. However she stopped stroking AJ's hair momentarily to point at the ghost girl floating a few feet in front of them. "This is Abby. She says she can help us escape from here."

AJ's jealous glare turned into a more considering look and she sat up to give Kaitlyn a questioning look.

Kaitlyn took AJ's hand in hers and grinned. "I'll let her explain it. I'm still trying to grasp it myself."

Abby floated a little closer to the girls, taking a seat in the air in front of them. "AJ, Kaitlyn tells me you two would do anything to go home, even if it means your death. Is that true?" When AJ nodded solemnly Abby continued, "Well as I was telling Kaitlyn, I can help you get home. I can give you the tools needed to make your own vortex to leave this place, to see your loved ones one last time. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

AJ nodded frantically and Kaitlyn said out loud, "Yes, we want to get the hell out of here."

Abby smiled but it was sad one. "Good. Kaitlyn, get dressed. Then both of you follow me to the library."

Several minutes later and the girls were in the library. It was on the first floor and down one of many long hallways. The room was immense and there were eight towering wooden bookshelves filled with thick leather bound books, some of which looked downright ancient.

Abby floated towards the bookshelf nearest the window. AJ and Kaitlyn watched as she scanned the titles till on the second shelf she spied the book she was looking for.

"Here! This is the book! See it and remember its location!"

AJ stared at it for a moment. _"It's the second shelf… third from the left. Second shelf, third from the left."_

Kaitlyn could see the concentration on AJ's face. "You got it? Can you remember where it is?"

AJ nodded the barest of smiles on her face.

Kaitlyn turned to Abby's floating form, frowning. "Why can't we take it down now?"

Abby shook her head. "If we disturb anything in this room before you're ready they will know and they will punish you so severely you will wish for death though it would never come. I can tell you what to look for, the tools and paraphernalia, but the incantation, the spell needed to open the vortex is something I don't know and it is inside that book."

AJ elbowed Kaitlyn and pointed back at Abby. Kaitlyn nodded knowing exactly what AJ was indicating. "How do you know all this Abby? Why are you trying to help us?"

Abby looked at the two girls in front of her and saw so much of herself in them. Her being glowed brightly as she stared at them. "I'm helping you because I can. As for how I know _how_ to help you? That's an answer I intend to share with you another day. Now let's head to the sitting room down the hall. The Brothers of Destruction could return at anytime and we don't want to be found in here."

The three girls left the library and headed to the sitting room not far from where they were moments ago. This room was similar to the one upstairs where they had first met Undertaker and Kane. AJ sat in one of the massive armchairs and Kaitlyn sat in the one opposite her. Abby floated near the fireplace where both girls could see her.

"There's something you need to know," began Abby. When she saw she had their undivided attention she continued, "You are going to need power, magick to make the vortex."

"Whoa!" exclaimed Kaitlyn, her eyes wide. "Like what Undertaker has? How're we supposed to get power like that?"

"From him. Well you'll receive it from Undertaker and AJ; you'll receive it from Kane. They're going to give you some of their own power, hoping you'll be able to build upon it and enhance it. The process they'll use is called binding. It requires a ceremony that I don't have time to get into now and a blood oath. You can't make the vortex to get home without allowing them to bind you to them. It must be done."

AJ was frowning hard and glanced over at Kaitlyn with her eyebrow raised. _"Is she serious?"_ thought AJ.

Kaitlyn could read her friend's face and she honestly was in agreement. "That binding ceremony sounds awfully permanent. Are you sure it's the only way we can get powerful enough to create a vortex home?"

Abby nodded. "I know it's a lot to take in. I know that it sounds crazy that you have to tie yourselves metaphysically to Kane and Undertaker in order to be able to leave, but it is what it is. That's just how it's done. Now tell me; can you do it?"

Kaitlyn reached over and grasped AJ's hand. They looked at each other for a long moment before turning back to Abby and nodding. "Yeah. We can do it."

"I need you both to understand that once you get home you're on borrowed time. I don't know how long you'll have before The Sickness sets in and you begin to die. Everything you're doing is so you can die at home with the people you love, with the people you otherwise would never get to see again." Abby's being dimmed in worry as she looked at the girls. "Tell me that you understand."

Kaitlyn squeezed AJ's hand once more, not taking her eyes off of Abby's floating form.

"We understand."

 


	6. Before The Dark

When Undertaker and Kane arrived back in the castle it was after dinner time and they found the girls still in the dining hall. They were seated on the floor playing a game of sorts. The Brothers of Destruction hung back in the doorway as they watched AJ and Kaitlyn making shadow figures on the stone walls with a large flaming candle between them. A ghost of a smile played on AJ's lips as Kaitlyn managed a near perfect shape of one of the least disturbing Other Side creatures.

Undertaker rolled his eyes once he figured out what the girls were doing but Kane was intrigued. It was the first time in months since the girls arrived that he'd seen AJ smile. He'd witnessed it plenty of times of course over the years they watched the girls through their creatures of the night. And yet now he realized that he missed seeing it and how much it lit up her face. There were times she smiled during a blackout that some of her madness peeked through which Kane had found immensely attractive. Now he wondered if one day he might be the one to put a smile on AJ's face.

High up in the rafters of the castle floated Mr. Lee. He was done with his chores for the moment and he thrilled at being able to see his babygirl enjoying herself with such a simple game. He regretted everyday of his existence for putting AJ and Kaitlyn into the Brothers of Destruction's line of sight. All he wanted was for the girls to be free of the nightmare that he accidentally forced upon them.

_"_ _Soon AJ…" Mr. Lee thought to himself. "Hopefully soon I can find a way to send you and Kaitlyn back home."_

Still in the doorway with his brother, Undertaker cleared his throat loudly to get the girls attention. Instantly their heads whipped around and for a split second, 'Taker saw what looked like a flicker of defiance in Kaitlyn's eyes that immediately changed to her usual wariness. AJ's eyes were downcast though as both girls stood and turned in the brothers' direction.

"Come Kaitlyn. We will retire early tonight." 'Taker's voice was mellower than usual but still commanding obedience.

Always worried about leaving her with him, Kaitlyn hugged AJ quickly before following the Undertaker out of the room leaving her alone with Kane.

For several moments Kane stared at AJ silently, thinking. He remembered the conversation he had with his brother in the desert back on Earth and decided to put what was talked about into action. He walked up to her and gently took her hand before leading her upstairs into their shared bedchamber.

The lamps in the room were already lit when they arrived, courtesy of one of the ghost servants which AJ was thankful for. She walked over to the foot of the immense bed with her eyes still on the stone floor and waited, dreading what was to come. She could hear the monster of a man near the wardrobe removing his clothes before coming to her. AJ tensed but to her surprise Kane knelt in front of her and slowly undressed her.

AJ remained stiff with her head cocked to the side as she eyed him suspiciously. Kane could tell by the look on her face that she was leery of him and it made him chuckle internally.

 _"_ _We'll bathe together before bed tonight little one," said Kane in her mind._ He walked into the adjoining bathroom and stepped into the large, rather modern shower and turned on the water. AJ stepped in behind him awaiting further instruction.

The water ran lukewarm which wasn't warm enough for AJ in the drafty castle and she shivered under the spray. Since Kane could call fire, his temperature always ran hot but he was aware of the water being uncomfortable for AJ. He reached for a cloth, wet it and applied soap and knelt once more so he could begin washing AJ.

AJ's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock. She found herself wishing she could see his face so she could gauge what in the hell he was thinking.

 _"_ _What is he doing?! Why is he doing this? What's his_ deal?! _" thought AJ wildly._

She could feel his heat through the towel as he washed her and she was able to stop shivering.

AJ's confusion was nearly palpable but the tension was slowly leaving her body. Kane smirked underneath his mask in triumph. When she was clean he shut the water off and they both exited the shower. He wrapped a large towel around AJ, enjoying her astonishment as he dried her off. Instead of taking a dry towel to his own body, Kane merely upped his body temperature by a few degrees causing the water to evaporate on his skin like steam.

Once they were both dry he lifted AJ onto the bed and climbed in beside her.

Thinking she knew what had to come next, AJ lay on her back with her legs spread and stared at the opposite wall.

Kane wasn't able to stop his mental chuckle then. _"AJ, you're free of my lust tonight. Rest little one."_

Again AJ was flabbergasted but the tension drained out of her body completely as exhaustion set in. Once more she gave Kane a questioning look but his eyes betrayed nothing about his thoughts or intentions. Deciding to take him at his word, AJ turned on her side and relaxed enough to begin to drift off to sleep. When her breathing finally evened out Kane scooted closer to his prize. He was used to her flinching from his touch even in her sleep but tonight she remained still.

It worked.

She was still leery of him of course, but currently AJ was more relaxed than she had been since he stole her virginity from her months ago. Pleased that his brother's suggestion was already showing results he called out mentally to the Undertaker a floor away to tell him the good news.

_"_ _Brother!"_

Undertaker was lying in bed with a sleeping Kaitlyn, lightly meditating when he heard his younger brother's mental voice. Annoyed at the interruption he grumbled a bit under his breath before answering.

_"_ _What is it Kane?"_

_"_ _You were right."_

_"_ _I am usually. But about what?"_

_"_ _I was gentle with AJ tonight. Though she was suspicious of me…"_

Undertaker chuckled. _"And rightfully so."_

Kane closed his eyes briefly, vaguely irritated before continuing. _"Not once did she shy from my touch."_

_"_ _That's good Kane. But you must know that the beginning of the ritual has to start tomorrow so they can be bound to us by the time we meet with Mephistopheles."_

Kane nodded and then realizing 'Taker couldn't see him said _"I am aware Brother."_ Then smiling beneath his mask he added _, "It will be glorious to watch them in the Valley."_

Undertaker grunted in agreement. _"The training will be difficult, but they will be the better for it."_

_"_ _Agreed Brother."_

Falling silent once more Kane looked down at the sleeping beauty next to him. AJ would not disappoint him in this.

Sometime later AJ awoke to the sensation of being carried. She opened her eyes and found that she was in Kane's arms and he was walking with her through what looked like a strange forest/jungle hybrid. The air was humid and still, the foliage thick, if not strange looking and there were trees all around, most of which were ash in color with thick leaves that were a sickly yellow.

A terrible sense of foreboding washed over AJ and she shivered. In spite of herself she wrapped her arms around Kane's neck, hoping that his familiarity would serve to ground her in this strange dark forest.

Kaitlyn, much like her best friend, woke up as Undertaker carried her through the forest. The second her eyes opened she felt fear wash over her when she realized they were outside.

The Undertaker felt her tremble, a wicked grin curving his lips when he saw she was awake.

"Sleep well, Kaitlyn?"

Looking around she shook her head. "No better or worse than usual. Where are you taking me?"

At first she thought he wasn't going to answer but after several long moments of silence he said, "The far east corner of The Valley."

The way he said 'The Valley' with such significance worried Kaitlyn. She wanted to ask more questions but also didn't want to give him clues to how anxious she was about this impromptu trip so she kept silent. They continued on for a time before Undertaker finally stopped and set Kaitlyn down on the ground.

Undertaker stared down at her and a strange look passed quickly over his face that if she hadn't seen it herself she wouldn't have believed it. Concern.

'Taker placed fisted hands on his hips, silently wondering if she could handle this without AJ. "Kaitlyn. You must survive the dark."

The girl frowned up at him, confusing marring her features. "What do you mean 'survive the dark'?"

"You must keep yourself alive until I come for you."

"Alone?!" Kaitlyn's eyes widened in shock. "But what about AJ?"

"She's none of your concern. Kane has taken her to far west corner of The Valley. And don't bother looking for her. She's at least four days travel from here." Undertaker reached down to cup Kaitlyn's chin in his hand, vaguely amused at the combination of determination and fear he saw in her eyes.

"Survive. I'll return for you."

He released her face and disappeared suddenly in a black mist. Where he stood but a minute ago was a sword of black steel sticking up out of the ground, handle side up. The handle was wrapped in black leather and the blade was tipped in silver. Tentatively Kaitlyn reached for it, surprised at how lightweight it actually was. She tested swinging and jabbing with it and found that it was easier to maneuver than she would have guessed.

Sighing, Kaitlyn held the sword at her side, wishing she was wearing clothes or at the very least had a belt to tie the sword to.

Looking around slowly, she wondered what direction the castle might be in and whether or not she would be able to find AJ.

"Whatever," she finally said out loud. "I don't care what he says, I'm looking for her. I don't even know that I _can_ 'survive the dark' without her!" Settling for a path where the surrounding vegetation wasn't as thick, Kaitlyn began walking.

AJ continued to look around as the foreboding built up inside her. She couldn't stop her thoughts from running wild as she wondered what was about to happen to her. After walking over several small hills and crossing a small stream of questionable liquid, Kane finally set her down. AJ grimaced at feeling the ground under her bare feet. She turned in a small circle and could see nothing but the forest. The castle was nowhere in sight. Looking up at Kane AJ shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'What now?'

Kane smirked beneath his mask. In her head he said, _"Survive the dark."_

Horror dawned on AJ's face and she took a step forward to do… something, she didn't know what, but she wasn't given the chance. Kane raised his arms high in the air before bringing them down again. Flames appeared around him as though engulfing his body. Once the flames disappeared so did he and AJ was left alone.

The girl wrapped her arms around herself while she looked at her surroundings. Now that Kane was gone she could hear Other Side creatures scrambling through the brush and trees. Although she was still nude from before, the temperature outside was not uncomfortable. However that didn't stop her from feeling vulnerable in the face of the unknown.

Sighing she turned to walk back the way they'd came when she saw something glinting on the ground where he'd disappeared. Squatting in front of the scorched earth AJ discovered a silver dagger. Her face grim, she picked up the blade to examine it. The handle of the dagger was wrapped in red and black leather, the same colors as Kane's mask. The blade looked to be pure silver and was wicked sharp.

He'd left her a weapon.

That meant he expected her to use it.

 _"'_ _Survive the dark' he says",_ thought AJ bitterly _. "I just want to find Kaitlyn and get out of here…"_ AJ heard something that sounded rather large rustling off to her right and she whirled around with the dagger up and ready to strike.

_"_ _Kaitlyn!"_


	7. The Boys

It was Saturday afternoon. Dean Ambrose loitered outside the corner store, smoking a cigarette and people watching. He took a deep drag, inhaling deeply before exhaling from his nose. These days he often smoked and drank, trying hard to forget the bullshit that had happened in the woods over a year ago.

Dean had done everything the mysterious voice in his head had asked him to do and in the end he still didn't get what he wanted. Hell, what he deserved!

At first he had taken out his rage on his best friends, Seth and Roman. But after the two young men began distancing themselves from him Dean realized he had to cope in another fashion that didn't involve alienating his only friends. In the end he kidnapped a teenage girl from a neighboring town with Roman and Seth's help. They took turns using and torturing the girl before finally (and mercifully) ending her life and disposing of her body.

It was enough to cool Ambrose down for a while but thoughts of AJ always remained in the back of his mind. She festered there like a tumor, invading his thoughts at the strangest times. And at night when he was alone (and sometimes when he wasn't) he couldn't help but remember how she had felt in his arms and his hand would close around his pulsing dick before he even realized it.

Flicking the butt of the cigarette away, he exhaled the last of the smoke from his lungs as he continued to scan the street. He had a good view of the local library from where he stood and he did a double take. Walking into the library together was Dolph Ziggler and Ettore Langston! Dean hadn't seen those two together since that fateful night in the woods. Intrigued, he decided to see what they were up to. Pushing off the brick wall he lurched forward and jogged across the street to the library and followed them inside.

Ettore sat down next to Dolph at a computer station, there to see the fruits of all Dolph's research on vortexes and the emails Bray Wyatt had sent to him thus far. It felt strange to Big E to be spending time with Dolph without the girls around. He looked forlornly down at his hands, his heart aching for AJ.

He missed her so much.

"Hey! Earth to Big E? Are you listening bro?"

Startled, Big E gave Dolph wide eyes indicating that he hadn't been listening. The blonde rolled his eyes but pointed back at the computer screen.

"You see this? At a few known sightings of vortexes, sometimes a talisman is left behind. They're used to amplify magick or the power of the person attempting to open the vortex."

Big E cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing. A thought crossed over his features and he opened his notebook and began writing.

"DO YOU THINK BRAY HAS A TALISMAN?"

Dolph nodded. "I think so. If his sister came here on her own to die, she probably had to have one to create her own vortex."

"DO YOU THINK KAITLYN AND AJ ARE TRYING TO FIND A WAY BACK?" And after a second of hesitation he added; "TO BE FREE OF THEM? TO DIE?"

"I…" Dolph stopped and took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I don't know man. Shit… I haven't wanted to think about that. Hell I've been trying not to think about it. Killing themselves so the Brother's of Destruction or whatever the hell Bray called them, can't have them?" Just the thought of Kaitlyn taking her own life, in front of him no less, made Dolph feel faint and his blood ran cold. He wet his lips before speaking again. "Maybe… we can find a way to destroy them; find a way to keep Kaitlyn and AJ safe from them…"

"WE SHOULD GO BACK AND TALK TO BRAY."

"You're right Big E. I want to speak with him as soon as possible so we can start working on an actual plan to get the girls back. How's tomorrow looking for you?"

"TOMORROW IS FINE SO LONG AS I'M BACK IN TIME FOR DINNER."

Dolph smiled. He knew how Mrs. Langston liked to cook a large meal on Sundays. It was the one day of the week Big E always looked forward to. "Okay. I'll come pick you up at 8 in the morning. It's a long drive and we need to leave early if I'm going to get you back here in time."

After logging out of the computer, Dolph and Big E gathered their belongings and stood. They talked quietly amongst themselves as they exited the library, neither noticing that they had an audience shielding himself in the book stacks.

Ambrose couldn't stop the maniacal grin from splitting his lips. Those tools were trying to find a way to make their own vortex to get the girls back! What luck! If he hadn't been hanging outside the corner store all day he might never have seen them together. He never would have found out that they had a solid lead in finding his Doll. Still grinning Dean rolled head about his shoulders and flexed.

He couldn't wait to tell Roman and Seth.

"What do you mean you can find her?" asked Roman, his eyes narrowed in confusion. The Hounds were at the larger teen's house, hanging out in the garage away from his mother's prying eyes.

Excitedly Dean revealed what he had overheard at the library an hour ago between Dolph and Ettore. While Seth seemed interested in what their leader was saying, Roman's face remained neutral. He didn't like the thought of participating in any more supernatural dealings. Of the three boys he was the only one not bothered by the disappearance of the shadow creatures after they awoke from their coma last year. No matter how violent or horrendous the activity they participated in the creatures did not appear.

Or maybe they just couldn't see them anymore.

Whatever the case may be, Roman wasn't so sure he wanted another go at that voice that Dean heard last year or trying to get his "Doll" back from wherever the vortex dropped her.

Still… he could see how excited Ambrose was and that some of his old fire and intensity was back.

For now Reigns decided to keep his misgivings to himself.

"So what you're saying is, you want us to follow those dudes to that Bray guy's house?" asked Seth once Dean was finished.

"Nah… That would be too obvious. We don't want them to know that _we_ know what they're doing. Not yet anyway. We just spy on them when they get back. Find out what they know. And if they get what they need to open a vortex, we steal it."

Seth chuckled. "Fuck yeah! This is going to be fun man!" The smallest of the group began headbanging in an attempt to release some pent up energy. "Yeah! Things are finally getting exciting around here again!"

Roman smirked and shook his head. He wasn't so sure about that, but what else could he do?

 


	8. But When I Say Dark...

Kaitlyn had been walking for hours with no sign of AJ, the castle or anything familiar for that matter. She refused to get frustrated though and soldiered on in silence.

The ground felt like gravel underneath her bare feet, but thanks to the other side fruit she and AJ were given daily, she hardly felt any pain. Still, Kaitlyn thought about how bad her feet must look and abruptly her thoughts turned to the sleepovers the girls used to have in their old clubhouse in the woods and how they would give each other manicures and pedicures.

" _I wonder if AJ even remembers that! Maybe we can do it again when we get back to the ca-"_

Kaitlyn stopped in her tracks horrified at her train of thought. She was beginning to think of the castle as _home_. Frowning, she shook her head hard. It was just yesterday that Abby revealed to them that she could help them escape the Other Side. How could she think of this terrible place as their home?

" _What about Dolph?"_

Kaitlyn's shoulders slumped as the handsome blonde flashed through her mind.

" _Oh god… How could I have forgotten about him? He's my whole reason for trying to escape. He's the reason I'm willing… no, ready to die…"_

Unexpectedly thoughts of Undertaker invaded her mind. All of her senses were suddenly consumed by the memory of his touch… his scent… his heat… She could almost feel his tongue touching her most intimate place and hear him growling his approval causing her thighs to clench automatically.

Kaitlyn slapped the side of her head trying desperately to bring Dolph's image back to the forefront of her mind. She fought to keep the strange and unwelcome feelings for Undertaker at bay but it was hard and getting harder. Why couldn't she focus? Why wouldn't it stop? She hated him! Hated what he and his brother had done to her and AJ. But for some reason it felt like he was consuming her even though he was nowhere nearby.

Groaning in misery Kaitlyn took deep breaths scrambling for some sort of control. Biting her bottom lip so hard that she drew blood the two-toned girl was finally able to zero in on her most cherished memory of Dolph; their first kiss in the tree in his backyard. His eyes so blue and so earnest… His lips so sweet and so soft against her own…

Those words he spoke that sent her heart racing and made her legs like jello…

_"Kaitlyn," he said quietly. "I want you to trust me. When I tell you I won't hurt you, I mean it. And I don't say things I don't mean."_

Sighing deeply, the girl was finally able to relax. Why was she struggling like this? It was almost like she didn't have any control over what she was thinking or feeling. Vaguely Kaitlyn wondered if it had something to do with the ominous forest. After all she had seen in her time on the Other Side she knew it wasn't smart to discount _anything_.

"AJ… I need to find her," whispered Kaitlyn aloud. It suddenly occurred to Kaitlyn that if she were struggling like this, if the forest was affecting her this way, then it had to be much worse for her tragically mute best friend.

Spurred on by the feeling that AJ was most likely in danger of losing herself, Kaitlyn took off running. At first she couldn't quite get her stride and with all of the debris and fallen trees in the near darkness, she stumbled and even fell a few times, rolling so she didn't stab herself with the cumbersome sword. But each time she picked herself back up and found it easier to get through the forest. She began anticipating obstacles, leaping over large rocks and pools of questionable liquid with ease.

She wasn't even getting tired. She just kept running.

AJ's eyes were closed as she shook her head violently. Her chest rose and fell quickly with the near heaving breaths she was taking. The dagger that Kane had left for her was gripped so tightly in her right hand that her knuckles were white. The blade was slick with thick viscous blood. Surrounding her were the bodies and limbs of a dozen Other Side creatures that she had slain during her blackout.

It was like a living nightmare.

A fearsome roar sounded not far from AJ stood and that seemed to snap her out of it. She opened her eyes, straining them to see what could have possibly made that sound in the darkness. Hyper vigilant due to the adrenaline coursing through her veins, AJ scanned the entire area, jumping when she heard the roar once more, this time closer. Gasping, she took off like a shot, almost tripping on the bodies that in her madness she'd scattered about.

" _Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn! Help me!"_ AJ screamed mentally _._ She had never felt more alone than she did now.

Flying through the trees of this strange Other Side forest gave AJ an odd feeling of déjà vu. As she leapt over some jagged rocks she was reminded of her escape from the Hounds back home. It was the night that Big E had rescued her, becoming her protector and a welcome addition to her life.

She missed him so much.

Tears of sorrow filled her eyes till she blinked them back lest she was unable to see while making her escape. She heard the roaring again and this time it sounded distant enough that AJ felt some relief. But she didn't stop running. She couldn't stand being alone in this dark forest another second.

" _Kaitlyn please! Where are you sis?! I need you!"_

Meanwhile back at the castle…

The Brother's of Destruction sat in matching armchairs in front of a glowing fire, watching the girls struggle in the forest. Using a bit of power they were able to view the goings on in The Valley, able to zoom in and out as they wished.

"You had to drop her off in the midst of all the herds' feeding grounds, didn't you Kane?" Undertaker shook his head, chuckling. They had watched with interest the girl's blackout when confronted with the creatures and the ensuing slaughter.

" _She bested them. She succeeded and I am pleased."_ Kane didn't look at his brother but did adjust himself, already growing hard at the memory. Watching AJ destroy the Other Side creatures in a blackout rage only served to increase his hunger for her.

Then noticing the view was still focused on Kaitlyn, Kane grinned beneath his mask. _"You may have tried to make it easy for her, Brother. But with how fast she runs she will stumble upon a pit."_

The Undertaker ran his hand through his long black hair in agitation. "I did _not_ make it easy for her; and she _will_ survive should she come across a pit." Folding his arms across his massive chest, Undertaker sat back in his chair with a frown.

From out the corner of his eye he could see Kane's massive shoulders shaking with silent laughter and it annoyed him. He was also annoyed that Kane was right. The corner of the valley where he dropped Kaitlyn off was the least inhabited by Other Side creatures. And while he had anticipated that Kaitlyn would ignore his advice and try to find AJ, he didn't expect her to progress so quickly. It was looking more and more likely that the girls would meet in the valley before it was time to retrieve them. That was neither good nor bad but the whole purpose of this exercise was to force the girls to fend for themselves without help; to hone the skills taught to them by Mr. Lee before they first arrived at the castle.

And once they retrieve the girls it would be time for the binding ceremony. Just the thought of it made Undertaker grin in anticipation. And then, once Kaitlyn was bound to him and AJ to Kane they would gain massive amounts of power, their magick would have virtually no limits. Mephistopheles would be forced to relent or doomed to fall.

" _Brother!"_

Kane's mental voice snapped 'Taker out of his reverie and he looked back into the flames. Things were about to get… intense. Kaitlyn was approaching a pit.

The sword was clenched tightly in her hand as she sprinted through the forest. She could tell that her feet were bleeding but Kaitlyn didn't care. In fact she hardly noticed. She just knew she needed to get to her best friend. In her haste in the near darkness the girl didn't see the upcoming drop off. Suddenly she found herself falling straight down. Kaitlyn shrieked in surprise, the sword leaving her hand as she reached out hoping for a vine or rope, something to stop her descent. She grabbed nothing but air till she hit bottom with a thud, cracking her head on a thick root to an unseen plant.

Kaitlyn knew neither sight nor sound for a time before eventually regaining consciousness.

"Ow… Oh my god…" Sitting up slowly, Kaitlyn grabbed her head with a shaky hand, fearful at how dizzy and disoriented she was. Thanks to the Other Side fruit she hadn't felt pain like this in all the time she and AJ had been here. It made her a little sick to realize that without the fruit the fall she'd taken would have definitely killed her.

With blurry, tear-filled vision Kaitlyn looked around and up to see that she had fallen into a deep dark hole. It was about fifteen feet deep with a circumference of nearly twenty feet. Directly across from her was what looked like a large tunnel. Standing took more effort than the two-toned girl would admit but she managed. Starring into the mouth of the tunnel was like looking into an abyss; and it sent a chill down her spine.

Then she heard it. A chilling screech coming from inside the tunnel.

"Oh shit," whispered Kaitlyn. Her blood ran cold at the sound. Something was coming for her and she had to get out of here now! Frantically she dropped to her knees searching for her sword. It was almost pitch black in the hole so she could only feel around for it. As she felt for her weapon she heard the screech again. Closer this time. It was grating like nails on a chalkboard but almost metallic sounding.

"Come on… come on…" Kaitlyn redoubled her efforts and finally her hand came across the blade of her sword. Finding the handle she grasped it and stood up quickly, fighting a wave of dizziness and nausea as she did so. She heard the frightening screech once more and knew she didn't have enough time to flee. If she tried to climb out of the hole, the creature would be at her back, something infinitely worse than facing it head on.

Kaitlyn backed up a few steps, giving her some room to maneuver. Automatically she entered a fighting stance holding the sword with both hands up above her right shoulder with her legs spread.

She was as ready as she could be.

However, what came through the mouth of that tunnel was nothing she could have prepared for, in spite of all the Other Side creatures she and AJ had come across before. This creature was serpent like but with a huge maw full of large gleaming teeth like daggers. It was large enough to swallow her whole. Six eyes appeared one by one at the top of its head, large and reptilian. It screeched, a loud and ear splitting sound that Kaitlyn was horrified to realize came from several smaller eyeless serpents housed in the back of creature's throat.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit!"

The creature rose up before striking down at Kaitlyn missing her by mere inches as she dived and rolled out of the way. It was only seconds later and again the creature struck but this time the girl slashed with her sword as she dodged its fangs. It screeched once more but this time in pain as Kaitlyn managed to slice its open mouth to near the crown where the eyes were. The creature swayed erratically, trying once more to make a meal out of the girl. Again she jabbed at it, slicing its throat causing blood to splash the dirt. Encouraged by this she began attacking it in earnest, avoiding its mouth but still causing lasting damage. The creature squealed and began trying to retreat back inside the tunnel but Kaitlyn was like a woman possessed. She continued to stab, slice and carve up the serpent before it collapsed in front of her, apparently dead.

Dropping to one knee the girl gasped trying to catch her breath. She was covered in the creature's blood and dirt from the fall but she barely noticed. She'd taken down this large, deadly serpent by herself!

Standing upright she looked at it while shaking her head. "Damn. I wish AJ could see this." With a humorless giggle, Kaitlyn stuck her sword in the head of the creature and used it to climb atop it. She continued to use her sword for balance like a mountain climber reaching the top of the pit by using the creature's body as a useful incline. Once at the top and back on solid ground Kaitlyn sighed with relief. But she could see that the terrain ahead was littered with drop offs just like this one and she sighed again, this time annoyed.

"Well… better walk for now. Hopefully I can reach AJ before she stumbles into one of these pits." With that said, she continued forward, carefully but quickly. She couldn't wait to see her friend again.

Back at the castle, 'Taker and Kane turned to look at each other after witnessing Kaitlyn's impressive battle with the pit serpent. Kane nodded when he caught his brother's eye and underneath his mask his pleased expression mirrored that of The Undertaker.

" _We've chosen well Brother. They are perfect."_

 


	9. I'd Like To Try To Sit Down Beside You

Big E sat in the Range Rover with his head against the glass of the passenger side window. Dolph had come by and picked him up bright and early and they were on their way to see Bray Wyatt. So far the two young men remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, the radio on simply to provide background noise.

Dolph was barely paying attention to the road as his thoughts filled with memories of Kaitlyn. They had only spent a short time together but he knew she was the one for him. He just had to get her back. He loved her. And it's been eating away at him for over a year that she never knew just how deeply he felt for her.

Ettore closed his eyes as his mind went down a similar path. Even though they'd been apart for over a year, somehow memories of AJ's eyes and smile, that sweet bubbly laughter, all of it could still disarm him. And while he still felt like a failure for being unable to protect her from Dean and subsequently The Brothers of Destruction, with Dolph's help he'd come to realize none of what happened was his fault. He just prayed that he wouldn't fail her a second time.

When they made it to the farm the boys were surprised to see the yard in front of the house was filled with cars and trucks. Perplexed, Dolph chose to park near the entrance of the property so they wouldn't be blocked in by more incoming vehicles. They got out of the range rover and began walking towards the farm house.

"What do you think is going on?" asked Dolph.

Big E looked at him and shook his head indicating he had no idea.

Once at the front door Dolph knocked and they waited for someone to answer. A moment later the tall bearded fellow known as Luke came to the door. He stared at the boys for a few seconds through the screen before slowly opening it. Big E shivered as he and Dolph slid past the man to enter the house.

The inside of the house was modestly furnished from what they could see. There were quite a few people milling about, ranging in age from teenagers to several senior citizens. Most appeared to be middle aged though and everyone seemed to be from different backgrounds and social economic standings. Not many of the people paid attention to the two new young men as they were all engrossed in their own conversations.

"Geez, I wonder where Bray is?" muttered Dolph as they wandered from the living room into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen they saw a few people seated at the large table and a couple more near the counter getting some food and drinks for themselves. The spread actually looked pretty good, but the boys were leery of Bray and his followers and thus chose not to partake.

"Hey! I know you!"

Both Big E and Dolph turned around to find a girl about their age standing behind them. She had long blond hair and was wearing pretty blue sundress in spite of the cool temperature outside. She spoke with an accent that seemed familiar but that neither boy could place.

"Excuse me?" Dolph was fairly certain he'd never seen this girl before. He glanced at Big E whom shrugged.

"Oh I'm sorry! My name's Melissa! And you're Dolph Ziggler!" The girl stepped forward and embraced Dolph warmly.

Instantly Dolph stiffened, unsure of how to deal with this strange girl. When she released him and stepped back he shifted, uncomfortable with how familiar she was being. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

At that Melissa blushed. "No I guess not. But I know you! I'm the one who helped you to reach Bray." Seeing that Dolph still didn't understand she continued. "I run his website. I transcribe the emails he receives and I send his replies. He doesn't much care for the whole information superhighway deal. 'Another tool of the _machine_ ' he calls it. So he appointed me to take charge of the website. Plus it's led more of the lost to him and I know he approves." Melissa smiled and pointed to two other young girls seated at the table who seemed to know they were being referenced and turned to wave at the boys.

Ettore and Dolph looked at each other. Melissa seemed sweet enough but the whole situation was starting to weird them out.

"Well, thank you Melissa for bringing my emails to Bray's attention. He's been pretty helpful so far. Do you know where he is? We'd like to speak with him." Dolph managed to put on a very charming smile hoping the sooner they talked with Bray the sooner they could leave this place and the strange people behind.

"Oh Bray's in the basement preparing for service. That's going to be in the barn in a few minutes." Her face lit up at the mention of the service and she smiled reaching forward to grasp Dolph's hands. "You should join us! I'm certain he'll speak to you afterwards. Please say you'll attend!"

Again Dolph and Big E looked at each other. After some silent deliberation they both nodded and once more Melissa hugged Dolph, completely unconcerned that he didn't return the hug. At that second a loud sounding bell rang from outside causing Dolph to jump. He used that as an excuse to escape Melissa's embrace and went to the window. It was Bray's other right hand man, Erick, ringing a large bell, signaling the people to come outside and head for the barn. Already the farmhouse was mostly empty and the teens in the kitchen were the last ones out. The boys allowed themselves to be led to the barn, Dolph by Melissa and Big E by the two younger girls whom had introduced themselves as Violet and Summer.

Ettore was extremely uncomfortable with the physical contact by these two girls but refrained from snatching out of their grip. If putting aside his discomfort helped to get him the information needed to find and rescue AJ then he was prepared to do what it took.

Dolph was on the same page though neither had voiced their thoughts out loud. But Melissa's cheery disposition and unwavering faith in Bray Wyatt and his teachings made Dolph's skin crawl and he hadn't even heard the man speak yet.

Once inside the barn though, the two boys had to gasp in awe. The decrepit look on the outside was misleading. Inside looked completely finished, complete with hand carved wooden pews and old fashioned lanterns throughout and paintings adorning the walls and hanging from the beams. There was one that was larger than the others, of a girl, pretty in a simple but still eye catching way. She had long chestnut colored hair and deep brown eyes that seemed to stare at you knowingly. A mischievous smile graced her lips.

Melissa saw where Dolph and Big E's gaze landed and whispered to both of them; "That's Bray's sister, Abigail. She is beyond our world now." Then exhaling an odd sound of longing she added, "I hope to one day be as important to Bray as Abigail…"

" _Ugh! Can this get any weirder?"_ thought Dolph. He had to fight to keep from snatching away from this girl and turning around and leaving. But he and his best friend came here for a reason and they couldn't leave without getting any answers at all.

Once everyone was seated Luke and Erick made their way to the front of the barn, standing on either side of the podium. Someone in the back dimmed the lights and Bray Wyatt entered the barn. Like the last time they'd seen him, he was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt with white linen pants and a straw fedora covered his head. He swaggered his way down the aisle like a man who just had all the answers. When he reached the podium he looked amongst his followers and his sight settled on Big E and Dolph but he didn't seem at all surprised to see them. He merely tipped his hat to the young men before addressing the members of his 'family'.

"The past! The past… is important. We have to learn from it. We have to face it, even if we fear to do so. It's important because if we don't learn from our past, both our failures and… our successes, how will we ever move forward? How will we advance? How will we become bigger and better versions of ourselves?!"

Wiping his brow with a handkerchief, Bray continued. "Our future as a family… No! Our future as a society depends on us not repeating the same mistakes! If you are here, it's because you know deep in your heart what must be done! If you are here, it's because you know the _machine_ , however broken, wants to consume us! Forget what _they_ promised you! Forget all of the designer clothes, the fancy cars and the money _they_ promised! There… is… no… promised land! There is only _their_ land and what you can do for _them_."

Bray chuckled a little, shaking his head in disgust of the dreaded _machine_. Luke and Erick, who initially were flanking Bray, were now both much closer, as if they couldn't help but be moved by his speech; drawn to him like moths to a flame.

Dolph and Big E used their peripherals to scan the room, disturbed to see that all the members of Bray's family were swaying along to the man's words, to the cadence of his speech like it was truly music to their ears. The boys were itching to get up and walk out but they powered through the rest of the service.

When it was over, the boys allowed Melissa, Violet and Summer to lead them outside with the rest of the followers.

"Oh I just love his services!" Melissa twirled around in front of Dolph giving him a big bright smile.

"Wasn't it something!" exclaimed Violet, tugging on Big E's arm. Ettore simply nodded his head, giving her a weak smile. Violet beamed up at him before looping her arm through his. Big E looked over at Dolph in alarm. This girl wasn't AJ and he didn't know how much more he could take.

Sensing an imminent melt down from his friend, Dolph took Melissa's hand and gave her his best pretty boy smile. "Listen, can we go speak with Bray now? You did say after the service he'd be available, right?"

Melissa's face dropped into a pout. "But I thought… I mean we thought you might like to spend time with us? It's free time now, and we like to go play in the woods." Then, looking around conspiratorially she whispered, "Nobody ever goes in there. Nobody would be around to bother us…" She rubbed his hand softly before bringing his hand up to her mouth and kissing the tips of his fingers.

It took everything Dolph had to keep from shoving the girl to the ground. Instead he grit his teeth and took hold of her hands once more. "Melissa, I'm sorry but it's very important that we speak with Bray now. It's getting late and I promised Big E I'd get him home in time for dinner with his family." He hoped that appealing to her sense of community, she'd finally lead them to Bray.

Her attempt at sultry was suddenly gone. In fact Melissa looked downright contrite. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. Bray will be in the basement tending to the 'fallen'. It's the door in the hallway nearest the kitchen. Goodbye Dolph Ziggler." With that Melissa grabbed the hands of Summer and Violet who pouted at not being able to touch Big E anymore and they ran off in the direction of the woods that surrounded the property.

Big E gave a deep sigh of relief and patted Dolph's shoulder in thanks before the two headed back into the farmhouse. The followed Melissa's instructions and soon they were walking down the stairs to the basement where Bray apparently was. The basement was very poorly lit, damp and musty. They could hear what sounded like low murmuring voices that grew louder the further they continued down the hallway. Eventually they came to a closed door that the murmuring seemed to be coming from.

Big E put his hand on the doorknob, giving Dolph a look. The blonde shrugged and Big E opened the door slowly. Inside was a man kneeling, with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed whispering one word over and over again.

"Obey."

He paid no attention to the young men staring at him with wide eyes. He just continued chanting, "Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey."

A hand clamped down on the shoulders of Big E and Dolph. Startled they whirled around to see the man they'd been looking for.

Dolph grabbed his chest exhaling the word 'shit'. Big E closed the door behind them, eyes narrowed.

"Good to see you boys again," said Bray with a smile. "Let's go talk upstairs, shall we?"

Instead of stopping on the first floor with the rest of Bray's followers they actually went up the second floor of the farmhouse and they each took a seat on the porch of the master bedroom. Not more than a minute later Luke entered the room behind them, his eyes more focused than usual. He flanked Bray, eyeing the two young men vague curiosity.

Dolph found himself unable to speak for a moment as it suddenly occurred to him that everything they'd gone through today, with Melissa and the other girls, attending the service, it was all an attempt at bringing them into the fold. Finally he was able to give Bray a level gaze.

"You know Bray… Did it even occur to you to just flat out ask me and Et… Big E if we wanted to join your group? We don't like being _handled_ Bray. We don't appreciate being manipulated when you promised to help us!"

Luke took a step forward when Dolph raised his voice but Bray waved him back. The man rubbed at his beard, his face thoughtful before responding.

"What can I say boys?! It was worth a shot and Melissa and the girls were just so eager to help! After all, we could use some strong young men like yourselves. And just because you weren't moved today doesn't mean my offer doesn't still stand."

The two looked at each other. It was obvious that was the closest to an apology they were going to get so decided to leave it at that.

"When your sister arrived here from the Other Side, did she have a talisman?" asked Dolph refusing to waste anymore time.

Bray leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he gestured for Luke to come closer before grabbing the back of the other man's neck and whispering something in his ear. Luke stood upright and walked back into the bedroom. A few minutes later he reappeared with a wooden box. He kneeled before Bray, holding the box in front of him like an offering. Bray lifted the lid and removed what was inside. He rose from his chair and went to the boys, holding a silver dagger in his hands.

"This is what my sister had on her when she arrived back on our side. This is what she used to slit her throat because she refused to be taken by The Brother's of Destruction again."

Dolph and Big E both stood to get a better look at the blade in Bray's hands.

"You think that knife is also a talisman?"

Bray chuckled to himself, placing the dagger back in the box. "I believe that it is. Sometimes, even after all these years, it will glow an unearthly red. I have tried to unlock the magick it holds for years but I'm missing something." Then giving the boys what appeared to be an earnest look Bray added, "I do believe I'm getting closer to figuring out what else is needed. And when I do, trust me gentlemen, you'll be the first to know."

Back in the range rover and on their way home Dolph and Big E were pondering everything they'd discovered tonight. What it all boiled down to was that even Bray didn't know everything needed to open a portal to the Other Side. But he claimed he was close and they really had no choice but to trust him. However using the girls to lure them into their 'family' didn't sit well with either of them and it made it damn near impossible to see Bray Wyatt as anything other than a fanatical cult leader.

A quick glance at the clock showed that it was nearing dinner time and it seemed that they were going to make it back in time, after all. Dolph reached over and patted Big E's shoulder, pleased when his friend smiled at him.

"Well bro, at least today wasn't a complete waste of time."

 


	10. Lightning & Fire

AJ took a bite of the Other Side fruit as she ran through the forest, still searching for her best friend. Luckily she had managed to find a tree that the fruit grew on and she wasted no time in climbing its branches and plucking a few pieces of fruit for both herself and Kaitlyn before continuing on her way.

Even now as she ran, she felt her strength renewed with each bite of the luscious fruit. She no longer felt tired even though she'd been running for hours (days?) now. She dispatched any Other Side creatures she came across with ease; the dagger now more than a weapon, it was an extension of herself.

The constant fear she felt when first abandoned by Kane had long since dissipated. She just needed to find Kaitlyn.

" _Come on sis! Where are you?!"_

Not too far from where AJ was headed, Kaitlyn stopped to rest, feeling that she could relax, at least a little. It had been precarious but she seemed to have finally passed through the area where the pit serpents inhabited. Although in spite of how careful she was being, the two-toned girl had still managed to fall into another pit. However she managed to climb out quickly before the serpent made an appearance. Her head still ached terribly from her first fall and Kaitlyn knew she simply didn't have the energy for another battle against a pit serpent.

She just hoped to be able to avoid any of the other creatures that inhabited this terrible place.

AJ reached the edge of the forest which turned into a clearing. A small smile crossed her face at the thought of not having to dodge the wicked looking trees and shrubs for a while. As she continued to survey the area she thought she saw movement to the north east of her location. Concerned the girl walked in that direction while also taking care to keep her ears open for sounds coming from behind her.

" _Is that…? Kaitlyn?! Kaitlyn!"_ AJ couldn't believe her eyes! She finally found her! Wishing she could call out to her friend, AJ began running towards her with a huge happy grin on her face.

Kaitlyn thought she heard what sounded like footsteps behind her so she stood, with her sword at the ready, preparing to defend herself. What she saw though was a nude AJ running so fast that her feet were almost a blur.

"Oh my god… AJ! AJ I'm over here sis!" Kaitlyn could feel tears start in her eyes, she was just so happy to see her friend. She could see the huge smile on AJ's face as she neared her. But suddenly Kaitlyn's eyes widened when she saw that AJ was about to run headlong into a pit.

"No! Wait! AJ stop!" Kaitlyn grabbed her sword and began running too. "AJ!"

AJ slowed her pace a little, it sounded like Kaitlyn was screaming something but she couldn't make out the words. Right when she was only a few yards away, AJ fell straight into a pit. Gasping, she let go of everything trying to grab something to keep from falling but nevertheless landed painfully on her back. Arching in pain, AJ struggled to sit up.

"AJ?! Are you okay?" Kaitlyn peered down into the hole, straining to see her friend.

AJ got to her feet slowly, her back stinging from the fall and signaled to Kaitlyn that she was okay. She began looking around on the ground for the Other Side fruit that she dropped and her dagger.

Kaitlyn shook her head. AJ had been down there too long. A pit serpent had to be on its way.

"AJ you need to hurry! Something made this pit!"

AJ stopped what she was doing and looked up at Kaitlyn, alarmed. Almost immediately though, she snapped out of it and increased her efforts. She found the dagger and a second later the fruit. She tossed the fruit up to Kaitlyn first, who set it aside.

"You have to climb up AJ and I'll pull you the rest of the way out, okay?"

AJ nodded and began searching for footholds in the dirt while also using her dagger to pull her body up. She was nearly to the top when they heard it, a loud screeching coming from the tunnel in the pit.

Kaitlyn reached down for AJ's hand. "Hurry! It's coming!"

AJ moved as fast as she could till she was close enough to Kaitlyn to be able to reach her hand. Both girls strained to reach each other as another screech filled the air. Just as Kaitlyn grasped AJ's hand, the serpent emerged from the tunnel. AJ lost her grip at the sight of the horrendous creature with Kaitlyn's hand the only thing keeping her from falling back into the pit.

"Ugh! AJ! You have to help me pull you up!" Kaitlyn struggled to hold on to her friend but AJ finally managed to use Kaitlyn's arm as leverage to reach the edge of the pit. The serpent creature narrowly missed her foot by inches as she left the hole.

The two girls embraced tightly, breathing heavily on the edge of the pit.

"AJ! I've been looking for you ever since Undertaker dumped me here. I'm so glad I found you!"

Kaitlyn held AJ at arms' length, and they both took note of each other's appearance, shocked by what they saw. AJ and Kaitlyn were both fairly dirty, just a symptom of the rough terrain. But there was also evidence of their battles with Other Side creatures all over the bodies in the form of thick, crusted drying blood. AJ seemed to have the worst of it though and after her fall into the pit, a bruise was blossoming across her spine. Kaitlyn was still sporting a shiner on her temple after her fall from earlier.

AJ smiled and picked up the fruit off to the side of them and handed Kaitlyn one of them. Kaitlyn grinned in return before taking a huge bite of the glowing fruit. She felt better almost instantly, the pain in her head and back lessening with every bite she took. AJ followed suit and the girls continued to munch the fruit in silence. The healing properties of their snack took over and soon after they were done, they felt no pain at all.

"What should we do now?" asked Kaitlyn, standing and stretching.

AJ simply shrugged.

Kaitlyn was about to suggest they head in a different direction when suddenly they heard the faint crackle of electricity. Curiously, they looked around, trying to determine the sound's location when it got louder and louder. About ten feet from where the girls stood a vortex appeared. It was rather large compared to the last couple they'd seen.

AJ frowned at it then looked at Kaitlyn who now stood with her hip cocked as if she were annoyed.

That would make both of them.

"I guess we're supposed to go through it." Sighing deeply, Kaitlyn took AJ by the hand and they walked up to the portal, staring into the pitch blackness of it. With their weapons held in their free hands the girls jumped into the vortex, not knowing what they would find on the other side.

Time had passed, though the girls didn't know how much.

AJ sat up slowly, relieved that the pain that usually accompanied going through a vortex was absent this time around. The pins and needles sensation _was_ present though and she shook her limbs out trying to get rid of the sensation. A look to her right saw that Kaitlyn was doing the same thing.

Eventually they stood and began taking in their surroundings. If they were still on the Other Side, it was somewhere different, somewhere new. This land was practically barren, nearly the opposite of The Valley the girls had just left. A path lay directly in front of them and after noticing it, AJ tugged on Kaitlyn's hand, pointing it out with her dagger.

"Okay, let's go," said Kaitlyn. They took the path, following its twists and turns and shortly it ended at a clearing of sorts. In front of them was a massive stone platform with two altars in the center of it. Even though it was outdoors, the area had the look of a temple, complete with stone seating surrounding the platform and giant standing statues of The Undertaker and Kane in the back.

Kaitlyn and AJ looked at each other. Neither girl could explain it but they were drawn unexpectedly to the platform, to the altars. When their feet touched the stone steps, AJ dropped her dagger and Kaitlyn, her sword, as they made their way to the altars. They could feel energy, the magick of the place surrounding them, flowing through them and in spite of their trepidation… it was… exhilarating.

From behind the statues came The Brothers of Destruction. They both wore long black hooded robes that trailed behind them as they walked. Undertaker stopped when he reached the altar on the left, smirking to himself when Kaitlyn unconsciously moved towards him. Kane, at the altar on the right, cocked his head to the side as he reached it, noting with amusement that AJ was mimicking his movements.

Simultaneously The Brothers of Destruction shed their robes, relishing the surprise on Kaitlyn and AJ's faces. The two men stood nude before them, their magnificent bodies outlined by the eerie glow of the Other Side moon.

Kaitlyn's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the Undertaker's impressive physique. She had seen him nude plenty of times before, but something about him now was drawing her to him. An intense feeling of longing swept through her body and it made her shiver uncontrollably.

She _wanted_ him.

And only a few feet away, AJ was overcome with the same confusing feelings about Kane. This monster of a man had done nothing but terrorize her since she and Kaitlyn arrived. He'd tricked her into giving up her virginity and up until recently had seemed to revel in her fear of him. But now all of that took a backseat to the longing coursing through her veins. AJ knew she needed to fight it…

But she didn't _want_ to.

Undertaker smirked at Kaitlyn, her perplexity amusing him greatly. Turning his head up to the sky, he rolled his eyes back in his skull as he raised his hand high overhead. Above them lightning flashed across the sky. Two jagged forks shot down to Undertaker's upraised hands, striking him with a loud crack. Kaitlyn watched in awe as 'Taker absorbed this energy with little effort. Taking in his fill he dropped his hands but Kaitlyn could see tiny pulses of electricity along his flesh.

It was calling to her.

Before she even realized what she was doing Kaitlyn crawled on top of the altar, her hands reaching for the Undertaker. He closed the distance between them by grabbing her around the waist and devouring her mouth with his own. The kiss they shared was beyond intense and when 'Taker sucked her tongue into his mouth she absorbed some of his power. The electricity set her nerve endings on fire! She could feel it everywhere and all it did was increase her want of him.

Kane continued to stare at AJ hoping… actually hoping that he wouldn't have to force her. His gaze didn't leave hers as he brought his arms up high overhead then brought them back down causing flames to erupt all around him. Though he could call and command fire it still brought him immense power just to be near it. When his flames died down he was surprised to see AJ had climbed atop the altar and was on her knees in front of him. She stared up into his mask with an expression Kane never thought he would see on her face. Wanton lust. With no amount of pretense he grasped her tiny body, bringing her flush against his, reveling in the feel of her naked flesh. She was covered in the dried blood of all the creatures she'd slaughtered in The Valley and that just served to turn him on more. Her small hands roamed his body, every touch like a sweet burn to them both. And when one of his thick fingers touched her center AJ arched her back and moaned aloud. She could feel his power flowing through her body from that single touch like molten lava, hot and damn near painful but she did not want it to stop.

Undertaker was seated on the altar with Kaitlyn facing him on his lap. His eyes held hers as she lowered herself onto his pulsing hardness. As soon as he was sheathed within her the electricity flowed through them more freely. 'Taker found himself overwhelmed by sensation, by feeling, this first time inside Kaitlyn was more than he could have ever anticipated. His large muscular arms wrapped around her as hers went around his neck and she began to grind herself into his lap. It was all instinctual movement for Kaitlyn, her body on autopilot as the Undertaker's power filled her up and up.

Kane lay on his back on the altar with AJ riding him. She looked like a miniature Amazon, wild and beautiful, on top of him, working her way towards… something… she didn't know what. Her body was heated from the inside out, Kane's power causing her to feel incredible things, causing her to reach unimaginable heights. Her moans were continuous now and Kane knew she was close. His hands went to her small breasts, tweaking her nipples, silently urging her to come. It worked. AJ's first ever orgasm hit exploding outward from her center and causing starbursts to flash behind her eyes. At feeling her innermost muscles squeezing him so tight and sweet Kane came with a muffled roar; gripping AJ's hips as he pumped his seed hot and fast inside her. Thoroughly exhausted AJ collapsed on top of Kane, sliding into unconsciousness as the magick, the power filled her completely.

Kaitlyn was almost there, she could feel it. She rode the Undertaker harder and faster, her breasts creating delicious friction against his chest. 'Taker growled in her ear and then licked the shell of it, pleased when it made her tremble against him. The electricity flowing between them took on a new and different color the closer they got to orgasm. Sparks of a golden black hue popped from their fingertips as they fondled each other. One such touch from 'Taker's index finger to Kaitlyn's clit was what pushed her over the edge. A strangled cry tore from Kaitlyn's throat as she came, with Undertaker following her into the abyss. He growled in her ear once more as his seed filled her. And much like her friend, Kaitlyn fell unconscious as she was filled completely with the power and magick.

Undertaker cradled Kaitlyn in his arms as he stood up from the altar. His brother Kane had done the same, AJ's body held tightly against his. They turned to face the masses that had cloaked themselves from the girls' sight when they arrived to make the ceremony feel as natural as possible. The masses in the stands were all manner of high ranking beings and creatures from other dimensions and portals. These were beings that were in support of Undertaker and Kane removing Mephistopheles from power, or at the very least, preventing him from overreaching.

'Taker looked out amongst their supporters and gave a wicked grin, his green eyes flashing with the immense power boost he'd just received.

"The binding ceremony… is complete!"


	11. False Sense Of Security

AJ woke to the sensation of being warm all over; her body felt nearly weightless she was so relaxed. Slowly she opened her eyes and found that she was back in the castle, in Kane's bathroom. She was seated between his in his tub with water up to her chest.

" _Finally awake little one? You've been out for half a day."_

Surprised AJ couldn't help but turn to look up at Kane, forgetting that with his mask on she wouldn't be able to read his face anyhow.

However, Kane cocked his head to the side and AJ got the sense that he might have been smiling beneath the mask. _"Yes. I have stayed with you the entire time. Your body needed time to heal and process the power you absorbed."_

At that AJ gasped and brought both hands up to her mouth. So it hadn't been all a dream? She really had consensual sex with Kane as his power flowed through them both? Her body tingled at the memory of riding him, unable to deny that the experience had been intensely pleasurable. As though he'd read her thoughts, the water in the tub rippled around them as Kane's body shook with silent laughter.

He could see the shock on her face give way to understanding and then resignation as she lowered her hands back into the warm water. She was handling this better than he originally thought she would.

" _AJ, my power is now yours. Your body is filled with century's worth of magick and the ability to call and control fire. I am yours as much as you are mine. We are one."_

With a sigh and slight shake of her head AJ settled back against Kane, determined not to let this news upset her. As she relaxed into him she could also feel his hard length nestled against her lower back but he seemed content to remain as they were which left the girl feeling conflicted. Was she relieved or disappointed?

Elsewhere in the castle, Undertaker lay in bed next to his prize, the young Kaitlyn. She was opening her eyes for the second time in twelve hours though admittedly much more alert this time around. Instead of using his brother's preferred method of soaking for twelve hours to help her body absorb his power, 'Taker had chosen to soak with her for half that and then rubbing her down with an herbal salve he'd made himself. Ultimately it took the same amount of time, but at least this way they didn't have to sit in a tub the entire time.

" _For being a pyrokinetic fire demon, Kane's affinity for water is incredibly strange. I wonder if AJ will become like him in that regard,"_ thought Undertaker as he watched Kaitlyn get oriented with her surroundings.

Taking a deep breath, Kaitlyn rolled onto her side, not surprised to see the Undertaker lying next to her, watching her. She stared at him for a moment, at war with herself over how he made her feel. Her memories of the binding ceremony were vivid and she couldn't help but blush at the brazen loss of her virginity.

In an uncharacteristic show of tenderness, Undertaker gently brushed some of Kaitlyn's hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"How do you feel?"

Kaitlyn bit her lip as she tried to ascertain just that. Finally she said, "I feel good. Great even. I feel wired like I've had a lot of coffee but also… I'm exhausted." Her eyes narrowed as she realized how weird this all was, giving Undertaker an unappreciative glare. "Why is that?"

'Taker chuckled, grabbing Kaitlyn around the waist with one arm and rolling so she lay on top of him. "That 'wired' feeling, as you called it, is power flowing through your veins. You are like me now, able to call lightning and filled with all the useable magick the Other Side has to offer. Once you learn how to use your power we will be near equals."

Despite all this new information, the steady beat of his heart, the soft rise and fall of his chest was luring Kaitlyn back to sleep and she didn't try to fight it. But there was something she needed to know before she succumbed.

"Undertaker?" questioned Kaitlyn with a yawn.

"What is it babydoll?"

"Why? Why did you give me your power?" Her eyes had drifted shut now as she awaited his answer, vaguely aware that she was already falling asleep.

'Taker could hear and feel her breathing evening out and allowed his hand to rest on her back. He rubbed small, soothing circles between her shoulder blades, pleased to feel her relaxed and so at ease with him since she and AJ first arrived on the Other Side. He inhaled her scent and exhaled a sigh feeling whole, feeling complete since he'd first laid eyes on her over a decade ago.

"Why? Because I need you babydoll."

The next morning Kaitlyn awoke to her body being pressed into the mattress. Undertaker was now on top of her, moving slowly and rhythmically between her legs. Before she knew what was happening he had plunged his morning wood deep inside of her. Kaitlyn gasped at his sudden entry, her back arching in a delightful mix of pleasure and pain. He didn't even give her a chance to protest as his lips found hers, biting when she initially denied him access. Quickly though she relented, surprised (and dismayed) to find she was enjoying herself once again. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck allowing him to get the leverage he needed to quicken and deepen his thrusts.

Kaitlyn found she couldn't keep the moans back, hell, she didn't even want to and her sounds did nothing but spur the Lord of Darkness on. Sitting back on his knees, 'Taker gripped Kaitlyn's hips with both hands bringing her in to meet his powerful thrusts. At times he would hold her with one hand, while his other drew lines of prickling electricity all over her body, heightening her pleasure. But Undertaker knew he wasn't going to last. She was too tight. She felt too good around him. He growled as his orgasm neared and he took the opportunity to reach between Kaitlyn's legs and finger her clit, electricity in his touch. It worked and she came first, panting and writhing beneath him. At feeling her walls squeezing his dick so deliciously tight, Undertaker's orgasm came soon after, sticking out his tongue, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as his seed filled her. In that moment he appeared truly demonic.

Kaitlyn looked up at 'Taker fearfully, the last pleasant tendrils of her own orgasm quickly forgotten. With a whimper she turned her head to the side, praying that he would get off of her soon. Only when she felt his weight leave her did she relax, letting out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

'Taker rose from the bed, giving Kaitlyn a devilish smirk as he did so. With a complicated hand gesture he was suddenly dressed. Clearly he planned to leave the castle as he was dressed head to toe in black leather, though his arms and chest remained bare due to the open vest. For the first time since having to ' _Survive the dark'_ in The Valley, The Undertaker looked _dangerous_. And watching him there, staring back at her with such pride and lust in his eyes, suddenly the girl in the bed found herself overcome with a deep sense of disgust and shame.

"Kaitlyn, I'm allowing you and AJ free reign of the castle today with the exception being the dungeons," said Undertaker as he walked towards the door. "And make sure you two eat something. You'll be surprised at how much more you need to eat now in order to sustain your power."

The two-toned girl nodded that she understood while simultaneously hoping to keep the tears at bay. Luckily the Lord of Darkness left soon after that and Kaitlyn allowed her eyes to spill over. The numbing effects of the binding ceremony had finally passed and every sordid thing she'd done with Undertaker of her own free will surfaced and subsequently horrified Kaitlyn. Completely and utterly overwhelmed she curled up on her side and sobbed. She could feel the man's seed leaving her body, warm and sticky and that only served to make her cry harder.

" _I'm dirty… I'm so fucking dirty…"_

Meanwhile, in Kane's bedchamber, AJ was just waking up. After a yawn and a quick stretch, she rolled over on her side to see if the Devil's Favorite Demon was with her. He was but the sight of him still shocked her. Kane was awake and watching her (AJ was fairly certain he never slept) _without_ his mask. AJ's lips parted slowly in near awe as she stared at him.

Kane was pretty unconventional in appearance just like his brother. There were patches of burn scars, similar to ones on his body, which weaved across his forehead, right cheek and right ear. His eyes, the one blue eye that always seemed a bit more focused and the white one were both trained on her, gauging her reaction.

" _AJ… I did this for you. You no longer have to fear me. We are one now. We are equals."_

Faster than she could follow, Kane had moved and was now straddling her. AJ's eyes widened but she didn't attempt to flee. Not even after he gripped her throat tightly, not choking, but keeping her immobile. He leaned down close to her face, his hair brushing the sides of AJ's face. Kane's lips barely touched hers for a few seconds, before growing into a bruising, searing kiss. Overcome, AJ whimpered and moaned as Kane's lips moved skillfully against her own. She didn't try to kiss him back as Kane was attacking her lips too ferociously for that. He owned her mouth and she could feel the temperature from his body rising, steam leaking from his pores, indicative of his excitement.

Undertaker had been at the door for quite some time, amused at his brother's antics. It was clear to the Lord of Darkness that his younger brother sincerely thought he had a kindred spirit in AJ. But he still needed to remember that she was a human female, though now certainly more evolved and tough than when she and Kaitlyn first arrived in the Other Side.

"Kane! Leave her alone. We're going to be late!" Undertaker heard Kane growl angrily in response and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Then in Kane's mind, he added, _"Look. We don't want to give Mephistopheles any reason to deviate from our goals. We must go."_

" _Fine brother. I'll have to repay this annoying favor someday,"_ replied Kane with a mental snort as he climbed off of AJ and then the bed. He snapped his fingers and a leather ensemble similar to 'Taker's appeared on his previously naked form. Kane picked up his mask from the dresser and slipped it on, turning to give AJ a lingering look before he did so.

In an uncharacteristic show of humanity, he winked at the girl. _"Later little one."_ And he and 'Taker left the room.

AJ's breathing had yet to slow down after the intense make out session with Kane. She was beyond confused; feeling very conflicted about what had just happened. Hell what had been happening for the past few days.

Slowly she climbed out of bed with the sheet wrapped around her. It trailed behind her like a cloak as she made her way to the bathroom. On the way she caught sight of herself in the mirror above the dresser and stopped cold. Her dark brown eyes were wide and startled. There was deep bruising under her eyes and her face was pale. She looked haunted. And to top it all off, there were fresh burn scars on her neck.

The hand not holding the sheet around her came up to her throat, fingering the burns.

" _He… he burned me. But… I didn't even feel it."_ Then with a frown she thought, _"I wish I could get rid of them. Big E wouldn't…"_ Her train of thought stopped abruptly as her dark savior entered her mind.

" _Oh my god… Ettore! How could I forget…? What is_ wrong _with me?!"_

Tears filled AJ's eyes as memories of Big E Langston came flooding to the surface. He was everything to her! How could she just forget about him? Forget about all he'd done for her? She didn't know how he did it, but Kane had to be behind this. Disgusted with him and herself AJ let the sheet fall to the ground and stalked into the bathroom, determined to forget his touch under the spray of the shower.

Still wracked with sobs, despairing, Kaitlyn did not notice that she now had company.

Floating near the foot of the bed was the young ghost, Abby. Her face held genuine sorrow as she watched Kaitlyn cry with such anguish.

"It hurts… doesn't it?" Abby crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap.

Kaitlyn heard the girl's voice and sat up slowly, clutching the sheet tightly in her hands. "What… are…"

"Finding out you're not you anymore. Discovering that their sexy smiles and carnal pleasures call to you despite all that you know about them. Despite knowing the evil in their hearts. And when you remember… when you come to yourself, the pain… It is agony, it is heartbreaking to lose and then find yourself amidst partaking of such terrible acts. And knowing you enjoyed them feels like a betrayal." Abby paused a moment, clearly remembering something painful.

A shake of her head though was all the help she needed to continue. "The binding ceremony. Absorbing their power and energy. They know that it causes some memory loss and with that you lose some of your identity. They, the Brothers of Destruction know this. But what they don't know is that it isn't permanent. Eventually you remember. Didn't you?"

Kaitlyn nodded slowly. But her face dawned understanding as she stared at the ghost in front of her.

"They did this to you. Didn't they? They did this to you first. That's how you know all this, that's why you're trying to help us."

Abby smiled sadly, her being flickering a bit. "Yes. They wanted me and brought me here, just like you and AJ. But they wanted to share me. The binding ceremony…" she gave a slight chuckle before continuing, "Their combined power almost tore me in half. Our bodies know the power, their essence is foreign and dangerous and tries to fight it. It's why they work so hard to help us absorb it because it could potentially kill us." Abby pointed to the dresser mirror across the room. "Go, see for yourself."

Slowly Kaitlyn rose from the bed, exhausted from crying, but curious to see what the ghost was talking about. Sure enough Kaitlyn was very surprised to look in the mirror to see a shocky, hollowed eyed, pale girl with black and blond hair identical to hers, staring back at her.

"Holy… fuck…" Kaitlyn had to look away from her image, taking a deep breath when she turned away. It was all too much! So much information was heard in such a short time, she barely could process it all.

"Shower Kaitlyn," said Abby pointing to the bathroom door. "If you're clean you'll feel better and I need you to focus. We don't have much time before the Brothers of Destruction return and I still need to show you and AJ how to make your own vortex. You're going home today."


	12. A Way Of Woe

Abby was right. Kaitlyn found that she did in fact feel better the moment the near scalding water hit her skin. It wasn't until she had soaped her body up that Abby's words about going home really sunk in.

"Home," whispered Kaitlyn. It seemed like such a foreign concept. But a small smile appeared on her face as a certain handsome young man flashed through her mind.

"Dolph… I can't wait to see you again."

Momentarily her distressing time with the Undertaker was forgotten as memories from a brief but happier time with the blonde show off kept her mind occupied. Once she was clean, Kaitlyn stepped out of the shower and wrapped a large towel around body, leaving her hair damp across her shoulders before stepping back into the bedroom. She wasn't surprised to see AJ sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed and waiting for her.

There was a smile on the other girl's face and she knew then that Abby had told her the good news. Kaitlyn smiled back but it faltered when she realized that AJ looked just as sickly as she, if not worse.

Abby floated near the doorway, concern etching her features. Her being flickered as she watched Kaitlyn get dressed, in her opinion, much too slowly.

"Kaitlyn, I've already filled AJ in on what's happening. I even had her return to Kane's room to retrieve her dagger. You must hurry. We have a lot to do before the vortex can be created and I'm not entirely sure how long the Brothers of Destruction will be away. I cannot stress to you enough how dangerous it would be to get caught doing this. They will be angry and most of all, they will feel betrayed… And for that, you will be punished severely."

"Okay, okay! You don't have to say anymore. I get it." Kaitlyn glared down at the ground as she finished dressing before looking around for her sword. She spied it near the chaise in the corner. After inspecting it, she found a way to tie it to her belt loop over her hip.

In spite of Abby's warning she couldn't help but feel some genuine amusement that apparently she and AJ had had a similar idea. Both girls were dressed in the clothes they arrived in the Other Side castle in.

Abby nodded almost to herself as she floated out of the bedchamber. "Follow me. We must gather your tools needed to create the vortex, starting with the blood of an Other Side creature."

Kaitlyn and AJ glanced at each other worriedly. "Where do we find something like that?" asked the two toned girl with more than a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"The dungeon. The Brothers of Destruction keep a few creatures down there for just that purpose."

A few minutes later, they reached the door to the dungeon. Abby opened the large wooden door and instantly the girls could hear the most terrible sounds. Screaming, wails of beings that barely sounded human, the howls of deadly Other Side creatures… it was a cacophony of madness and neither girl was prepared for it.

Knowing this probably the most difficult task ahead of them Abby tried her best to reassure them. "Girls… you mustn't let what you're about to see down here rattle you. It will be a nightmare but you have to power through it. This is the only way. There is no time for anything else. Don't let your eyes or your mind wander, just keep moving."

AJ gulped loudly and Kaitlyn nodded quickly to show they understood. The two girls then linked hands as they followed Abby's glowing being into the darkness below.

The winding steps were incredibly steep and dark, save for the flames from a few torches. The girls were unaware how long it took them to reach the bottom but once there, neither could stop trembling.

The air was humid and hot. The sweltering heat was so intense that within moments sweat began pouring off their bodies. A putrid scent filled the air akin to sulfur and burning flesh. The smell was so strong that that AJ and Kaitlyn had to fight the urge to gag.

"This is horrible!" Kaitlyn gripped AJ's hand tightly as they followed Abby through winding corridors and passageways. She couldn't help but stare at their surroundings, medieval looking cells filled with ghosts, clamoring, fighting to be set free. Unlike the ghosts of the servants upstairs, these were grey in color, flashing intermittently like macabre Christmas lights.

AJ stopped short all of a sudden, forcing Kaitlyn to stop with her. Concerned Kaitlyn turned towards her, aware of AJ's increasing grip on her hand. The smaller girl pointed shakily to a cell on their right.

At first Kaitlyn couldn't figure out what had grabbed AJ's attention. But then she saw them. Swarming around the ghosts in the cell were a couple dozen shadow creatures. Undertaker's creatures of the night. Every time a creature touched one of the ghosts, the individual would cry out instantly in agony, flashing until the creature moved away.

Abby had turned to see what the girls were staring at. She shook her head sadly.

"The creatures of the night are siphoning their energy, transferring it to the Brothers of Destruction. No matter what, they will never be without power because of this constant cycle."

Kaitlyn blinked back tears at the sight. "This must be why we were told never to come down here. This is sick!" AJ nodded vigorously, agreeing with her friend.

Looking towards Abby, Kaitlyn asked, "Can we stop this? Can we free them?"

Abby shook her head, her being flashing dully with sadness. "No. Only Undertaker or Kane can free them." The ghost girl turned back around, floating towards a nearby door. "Come. We're almost there."

Once through the door and around another corridor, the threesome found themselves face to face with several large cells housing some of the more formidable Other Side creatures. There was a pit serpent, a couple of the spider like creatures; one of the giant centipede creatures and in an immense cell at the end of the room was something wholly surprising.

Both girls' mouths dropped open in surprise as they stared at the strangely beautiful, yet familiar creature.

"Is that… a dragon?!"

Abby almost smiled. "Something like that. But that isn't where we're getting the blood from. That would be entirely too dangerous. I suggest the pit serpent, as it is the slowest of the creatures."

AJ raised an eyebrow at that. It certainly hadn't seemed slow when she had to escape one's pit with Kaitlyn's help in The Valley.

Abby floated to a nearby shelf that held hundreds of glass vials. After grabbing one she went back to where the girls were waiting in front of the serpent. The creature seemed to know what was coming when it spied the glass tube. It began swaying back and forth, hissing viciously.

As if they knew already knew what to do, AJ pulled her dagger out of her waistband while Kaitlyn distracted the creature by banging loudly against bars of its cell. When the serpent went to lunge at Kaitlyn, AJ quickly jabbed it with her dagger while simultaneously thrusting the vial forward to catch its thick, viscous blood. In mere seconds the glass tube was filled with the green fluid and AJ snatched her hand back before the creature could strike at her.

Abby's being glowed brightly, pleased at how smoothly the acquisition went. "Excellent! That will be more than enough to create the vortex."

Gesturing towards the entrance she added, "Let's go. We're running out of time."

"Wait! We want to get a closer look at it," said Kaitlyn, referring to the dragon.

The young ghost started to protest but the girls were already headed towards the creature. Up close the creature was fearsome, yet beautiful, with purplish-greenish scales, large leathery wings of a similar color and twisted black horns atop its head. It watched the girls approach warily with large, blue slit eyes but with none of the same natural animosity the rest of the Other Side creatures possessed.

Kaitlyn's grip went from AJ's hand to her arm as they continued to stare up at the beast. "Amazing… I wonder why we never saw one before now?"

AJ shrugged. _"I wish I knew. I also wish I knew why they keep this one locked up like this,"_ she thought.

When they reached the cell, the dragon backed up a few steps. It's long tail thrashed restlessly behind it, drawing the girls' attention to a stone door at the back of the cell.

"What do you think is behind that door?" asked Kaitlyn. AJ nodded and pointed at the door, curious about where it led as well.

Abby shook her head. "I don't know, but if it's behind that beast then it can't possibly be a good thing. Now we have to hurry! We still need to retrieve the book from the library."

Once back upstairs, safely on the other side of the door leading to the dungeon, Abby made sure she had the girls' attention.

"Listen carefully. I need to retrieve one more item but our time is growing short. While I go outside to get it, you must go upstairs and retrieve the book from the library. Meet me in the foyer when you have it. Go! Now!"

The three girls split quickly with AJ and Kaitlyn sprinting up the stairs to the library. When they entered the room they paused, not only to catch their breath but to get their bearings too.

Kaitlyn stared around at the large bookshelves with wide eyes. "I do not remember where that god forsaken book is. But you do, don't you sis?"

AJ stared into the room a moment but then turned to shoot Kaitlyn a wide grin and a nod.

_"_ _Of course I remember! It's the bookshelf close to the window, second shelf, third from the left!"_

AJ coaxed Kaitlyn to move forward with her to the bookshelf in question and gestured that she needed a boost up to reach it. Kaitlyn lifted AJ onto her shoulder (surprisingly easily) and the girl carefully plucked the correct book.

Just holding the leather bound book made AJ feel cold inside and she couldn't help but shiver. After Kaitlyn set her down they both turned the book over to inspect it.

"What language is this? Can you read it?" asked Kaitlyn.

AJ frowned and shook her head. But then she spelled out the word LATIN with her fingers indicating she did recognize the language though she couldn't translate it.

"Ah geez, I hope Abby can help us figure this out. Let's go!"

Right as Kaitlyn and AJ arrived in the foyer, Abby came in through the nearby window. She saw that the girls had the correct book and nodded.

"Excellent. Set the book down and have the vial ready."

Abby began flipping the pages of the book quickly, but scanning them carefully too. Eventually she came to the right page as evidenced by the triumphant 'Ha!' that left her lips.

"Okay, here it is. This inscription here is what you need to invoke a rune. That is what you need carve into the floor with your dagger AJ. See it's shaped like this." And Abby gestured towards to the stone floor. "See? It's basically a wide upside down M with a stick coming down from the middle."

AJ got down on her hands and knees and lightly carved the shape that the ghost had described.

Abby nodded her approval and looked back in the book. "Okay, now have the vial ready to pour. There is inherent magic in the blood of the Other Side creatures here so immediately after you repeat the spell, you have to pour the blood onto the rune you carved. It will stabilize the vortex and keep you from winding up somewhere random while also giving it the power it needs."

Kaitlyn found that her palms were sweaty.

This was it.

"Envision where you want to end up. I suggest it's a place you're both comfortable with and near those you love. Keep that image in your mind as you repeat after me.

'Invocabo rune spatii! Ad voluntatem et cervicem haberet! Oblationem purissimam do malo volo me ad locum!'"

Abby spaced out the words slowly, enunciating carefully so that Kaitlyn was able to repeat after her with no problem. She watched as the girl poured a generous amount of the green blood onto the rune, pleased when it began to glow an almost solemn blue.

"Now AJ! Take your dagger and run it through the blood on the ground. Then I want you to trace the rune in the air, again imagining your home and where you want to end up. When the electricity starts, take a step back!"

AJ looked leery, but followed Abby's instructions exactly. Just as she said, the electricity began crackling all around them, loud and bright. They watched as a spherical tear opened up right in front of them, bending time and space. The vortex was just large enough for them to hop through together.

Abby saw the joy and fear on their faces and really felt for them. After all, she had gone through this herself.

"Listen! You have only a little time with your loved ones. Spare them the added pain of watching you die slowly of The Sickness and just kill yourselves. Say goodbye and end it! Don't linger, you'll just hurt them more. Understand?"

AJ and Kaitlyn both nodded, visibly swallowing hard.

Abby gave them a small smile. "Goodbye and good luck. I hope I don't see you back here on the Other Side."

Kaitlyn and AJ turned away from Abby, staring into the darkness of the vortex. The portal that would take them home to die. Without a word they linked hands and leapt into the vortex, disappearing from sight instantly.

Abby sighed deeply, feeling at ease for the first time since the two girls had arrived. She successfully helped them get back home. She just hoped that they would heed her advice and not cause their loved ones or themselves unnecessary suffering by staying alive for too long. Taking the sand she'd gathered outside while they had gotten the book she sprinkled it over the still glowing rune on the floor. It stopped glowing and the vortex closed up instantly.

"Ouch… You're on my leg AJ."

AJ opened her eyes, automatically rubbing her arms up and down as she tried to fight the pins and needles sensation. She sat up and gave Kaitlyn an apologetic smile. Then she looked around. There were surrounded by trees, normal looking, deciduous trees whose leaves had already begun turning colors. There was plenty of foliage although it looked as if some of the vegetation and trees nearby had been destroyed some time ago. Still, it was no mistaking the woods of their childhood.

Their safe haven.

Kaitlyn hardly noticed the tears falling from her eyes as she looked around. She let AJ help her to her feet and they embraced, tightly. The sun was high overhead and warmed them, despite the chill in the air. AJ squeezed Kaitlyn even harder as her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Kaitlyn gave a half sob-half laugh in response.

"We made it, sis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The 'spell' is completely made up. It is Latin though (thanks to google, though I did take Latin in high school) and it translates roughly as: "I call upon the rune of space! Bend to my will and you shall have it! I give this offering of purest evil, take me to the space I desire!" However, the rune I described, though it does exist actually translates as 'Earth'. I figured that worked just as well, especially since I couldn't find a rune that literally meant space.


	13. Time Stands Still The Way It Did Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme song for this particular chapter is 'Sleepwalking' by Bring Me The Horizon

Dolph was not having a great start to his day. After showering he hadn't been able to get his hair right, despite how much gel he used. During breakfast he'd found a note sticking to the refrigerator from his parents stating they'd decided to go to the couple's retreat after all, leaving him all alone for the week. While it meant more time spent with Big E and on their shared mission trying to get the girls back, he couldn't really stand being in the house by himself at night anymore. When he actually _could_ sleep, all he ever dreamt about was Kaitlyn and he'd find himself waking up in tears, utterly depressed.

And now he sat at his desk in World Civics class, staring out the window. He was woefully unprepared for the pop quiz they were about to have and said as much to his friend Victor sitting behind him.

"I'm going to fail this quiz bro," whispered Dolph over his shoulder as he passed the stack of papers back.

Victor rolled his eyes as he took the papers from him. "Whatever man. I know that failing to you means a B minus or something."

Dolph chuckled, shaking his head before starting the quiz with a little more enthusiasm.

Once the bell rang the blonde left the classroom and headed for his locker. To get to his locker he had to pass the T hall (so named for its shape) and past the front door. Right as he was nearing the foyer of the school, a familiar hairstyle caught his eye. Dolph turned and stopped dead in his tracks, causing two students behind him to bump into him. They cursed, annoyed but went around him quickly as the tardy bell began to sound.

The boy's lips were parted slightly, his eyes wide with disbelief.

_"_ _It can't be… It… I just… don't… believe it…"_

It wasn't until the beauty blushed under his scrutiny and bit her bottom lip in that way that only _she_ could that Dolph felt confident he wasn't hallucinating. His feet started moving and he walked, oblivious to the crowds of students around him hurrying to class, towards the girl with the two-toned black and blonde hair.

With his heart suddenly pounding in his ears, he paused about a foot in front of her, still awestruck.

"Kaitlyn?!"

Her eyes welled immediately. There he was, right in front of her. It had been so long, so long since she'd seen him or heard his voice and the first thing he said was her name.

It had never sounded sweeter.

An abrupt sob escaped her lips and suddenly his arms were around her. His warm skin, his familiar scent flooded her nostrils and only served to make her cry harder.

Dolph was trembling as he held her, still unable to believe she was here, with him! He laid a gentle kiss on her hair and clutched her tightly.

A few moments passed but to them it felt like only seconds. Dolph pulled back a bit, bringing his arms up from around her waist, to cup her face in his hands. A few slow tears rolled down her cheeks. Dolph kissed them away, staring deep into her eyes. His gaze roamed her face, as if imprinting every single detail before finally settling on her parted lips.

The kiss started off slow and sweet, with a mere brushing of the lips. It gradually gained passion and intensity though, hunger and happiness apparent. Dolph stepped into Kaitlyn, so close now he was holding her against him to keep her from falling backward. He groaned into her mouth at the sensation of her pressed so tightly against him. He was drowning in the feel of her, the taste of her, not caring if he ever took another breath. Their tongues touched and both teens shuddered at the sensation, their bodies tingling with future promises.

Reluctantly, Dolph finally pulled back, breaking the kiss. He couldn't help but smile crookedly at how flushed she was due to their intense greeting. Licking his lips, he leaned back in and rubbed the tip of his nose over hers, then, pressed his lips to hers.

"I love you babe," he whispered against her mouth. "I should have told you before. Before… everything happened. I'm just so freaking in love with you."

A slow shy smile spread across Kaitlyn's face. But when she opened her mouth to respond, Dolph quickly covered it with his own initiating an even deeper kiss than before. He just wanted to swallow her whole. He simply couldn't get enough of her, not after a year of her absence.

Eventually though, he pulled back once more, this time with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me." The Show Off smirked playfully at her.

Kaitlyn couldn't help but grin in return. "It's okay. I've missed you too. Oh just so much…"

She stepped back and linked her fingers with his, feeling whole for the first time in over a year.

"And I love you too."

Dolph beamed at her. Of course he'd known it, but it felt good to hear it all the same. They embraced, about to lock lips again when they heard a loud throat clearing as the assistant principle entered the hallway. She was an older, stern woman, who had a reputation for handing out detention slips like they were candy. She eyed the teens with obvious distaste.

"Mr. Ziggler, why aren't you in class?" And then, eyeing the couple's linked hands, she added, "You too young lady."

"I'm sorry Mrs. King. We were just leaving." Without giving the woman any kind of explanation, Dolph led Kaitlyn by the hand out the front door, leaving the assistant principle fuming.

"Now wait just a second! Get back here, both of you!" Quickly she went to the door, about to scream something about penalties and not being able to walk for graduation when a sudden realization made her stop abruptly.

"He was with that girl! The one that went missing last year! Oh… what was her name?" Mrs. King frowned as she searched her memory.

"Aha! Kaitlyn!" With a snort the woman turned on her heel and headed back to the office. She knew they still had her contact information on file. Her father would want to know that his daughter was alive and well.

Once outside the two teens burst out laughing.

"I can't believe you just did that!" exclaimed Kaitlyn still laughing.

Dolph grinned and shrugged. "There's nothing she can do about it. Besides, I'm going to spend every single moment with you from now until eternity. You're stuck with me babe."

At his declaration Kaitlyn sobered immediately. She remembered Abby's warning about killing herself before The Sickness set in.

 _"_ _How much time do I have?" thought_ Kaitlyn, biting her lip worriedly now _. "Aside from feeling drained, I feel okay. I've certainly felt worse..."_

"Kaitlyn? Kaitlyn!"

"Huh? I'm sorry Dolph I wasn't listening."

The blonde smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Yeah, I noticed. I was asking you where AJ was."

Kaitlyn pointed in the direction of his Range Rover in the student parking lot. "She's waiting over by your car." Then with a solemn glance she added, "AJ's been through so much Dolph. She… she hasn't said a word since the day we arrived at the castle on the Other Side. Not since Kane first put his hands on her…"

Dolph's face fell. Remembering the noisy little chatterbox that the brunette used to be, he could hardly believe that anything could silence her. It had to be devastating and that meant that Kaitlyn too, had suffered greatly. Just thinking about all the possible hardships she had to endure made his chest tight.

They walked the rest of the way to his vehicle in silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts. When they reached the Rover though, AJ stepped from behind it, a huge bright smile on her face. She launched herself at Dolph, who grunted in surprise but managed to catch her anyway. They hugged each other tightly as Kaitlyn looked on, grinning the whole time.

Dolph set the girl down finally, laughing. "It's good to see you too AJ."

AJ smiled and mouthed the word, 'Ditto'. Then looking around she also mouthed, 'Where's Big E?' while holding her arms out wide.

Without really reading her lips he knew what she was asking. "His mom pulled him out of school. After everything happened she decided it was easier to just home school him. He's probably home alone right now though, since this is when she goes to physical therapy."

AJ clapped her hands excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet. It was clear that she was more than ready to see Ettore.

Dolph unlocked the car and opened the passenger side door for Kaitlyn and the door to the backseat for AJ. Before climbing into the vehicle, AJ reached underneath it, pulling out Kaitlyn's sword and her dagger. Dolph watched her enter with the medieval looking weaponry and turned to give Kaitlyn a questioning glance.

She just sighed. "It's a long story. I'll explain after we go pick up Big E."

On the way to Ettore's house, Kaitlyn asked Dolph about what he'd been up to the past year. She and AJ were surprised to learn that Dolph and Big E had been working on their own plan to rescue them for quite some time now. They were fascinated when he told them about the strange man known as Bray Wyatt and that he was invested in helping them, even telling them Bray's sad tale about his sister Abigail. At the mention of Bray's sister, Kaitlyn immediately turned around to look at AJ whose face mirrored hers in shock. Abby, the ghost who helped them to escape was clearly Bray's sister!

Kaitlyn was about to tell Dolph the conclusion they'd come to when the rover came to a smooth stop.

"Alright, we're here." Dolph exited the vehicle and went up to the boy's house before knocking on the door. A few minutes later the door opened and Ettore ventured out with a confused expression on his face. He gave Dolph a short armed hug and then pointed at him basically asking what he was doing there.

Dolph could barely keep his composure as he stared at his friend. Grinning he said, "Hey man, I got someone here that wants to see you."

Big E frowned, not understanding until he watched a small feminine figure hop out of the backseat of the range rover. His eyes widened as it became a blur of movement running towards him before leaping into his arms. Ettore grunted in surprise at first but then the recognition came and he shuddered violently, almost dropping AJ in the process.

Her legs had wrapped automatically around his waist and she propped herself up with her hands on his shoulders. Her long dark hair fell like a curtain around them while she peered intently into his face. She smiled beatific and mouthed the word, 'Hi'.

For a few seconds Big E was dumbfounded. Here she was. AJ was here… and in his arms no less! Was he dreaming? Was he awake?

AJ could see the confusion at war with other emotions on his face. Her hands moved from his shoulders to cupping his face. Then, her lips met his. Her kiss was hard and frantic, like the time in Dolph's living room so long ago. She needed to let Big E know that she was here, that she was real, that she was his. Soon she moaned into his mouth as he began to kiss her back, fervently. His tongue entered her mouth and AJ's own curled around it, unleashing very primal feelings in them both. With a grunt Ettore turned and rammed AJ's back into the door frame, using it for leverage as they continued feasting on each other hungrily.

Moments later Big E felt warm droplets on his face and realized instantly that AJ was crying. He pulled back concerned until he saw she was smiling down at him even as her silent tears continued to fall. She took her right hand and pressed it over his heart, telling him everything he needed to know. Shifting so that all her weight was in his right arm, Big E mimicked her movement, putting his left hand over her heart. The thudding of her heart served to ground him, beyond the symbolism of the moment.

The moment AJ had ran towards Big E, Kaitlyn had climbed out of the car, wanting to clearly see the happy reunion. It was plain to see that the two were crazy about each other and Kaitlyn couldn't deny how happy AJ seemed right now. Her best friend hadn't displayed this much emotion in months. Seeing Big E set AJ down, Kaitlyn walked up to them, grinning at the couple.

"Hi Big E," said Kaitlyn, reaching out to him for a hug. The large teen hugged her back tightly, trying not to feel overwhelmed. When he released Kaitlyn he smiled sheepishly, knowing what it must have looked like when AJ greeted him and his subsequent response.

Figuring Big E looked a bit embarrassed Dolph cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Well guys, I don't know about you but I'm ready to go home. And so are you. Big E, go grab your notepad and whatever else you need so we can get out of here." The girls watched as Ettore disappeared inside the house.

Kaitlyn's brow furrowed in worry as she remembered the scene between Dolph and his mother that they'd witnessed upon arriving on the Other Side.

"What about your mother? Your father? Are they going to be okay with us showing up at your house?"

Dolph shrugged. "They're at a couple's retreat. They're going to be gone all week. Babe, that's more than enough time for us to figure everything out."


	14. Well I'm Prepared To...

The four teens were seated in the Ziggler family's living room in completely comfortable silence. The tv was on but none of them paid any attention to it, at this point it was nothing more than background noise.

AJ was seated next to Ettore on the loveseat. His arm was around her shoulders as she leaned into his side, his size and warmth serving to ground her, to drive home the fact that she was really here. There was so much she wanted to say to him, to physically tell him but she was still unable to find her voice. And in that moment she mentally cursed Kane for all that he'd done to her.

A few feet away Kaitlyn and Dolph were sitting on the couch, close enough that their thighs touched. Dolph held her hands in his lap, rubbing small soothing circles into her palms. Kaitlyn let her head rest on Dolph's shoulder, sighing contentedly at his touch. It was like a dream come true. To finally be here with him after so much time had passed and to see that he still wanted her as much, if not more than before was overwhelming. But several niggling thoughts in the back of her mind cast a dark shadow over Kaitlyn's heart.

What if Undertaker and Kane discovered them missing and came after them? What if the Brother's of Destruction arrived and chose to hurt or even _kill_ Dolph and Big E? What if The Sickness was a lie told by the brothers to keep the girls from attempting to escape? If they killed themselves just as Abby had done, would it still somehow be for nothing? Undertaker had said that whether they lived or died they'd be forced to spend eternity on the Other Side after all.

Kaitlyn frowned, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. She needed to tell Dolph and Ettore everything before it was too late. She had to let them know the risks, the consequences involved with their escape from the Other Side.

However when she lifted her head to meet Dolph's gaze, the look on his face stole her breath and made her mind go blank, leaving only a pulsing need in the pit of her stomach.

Dolph knew they had things to discuss. That they needed to work on a plan to secure a future together but damn it if all he could focus on was her touch and how he wanted… no needed to feel more of her. All of her. Without a word he rose from the couch and brought Kaitlyn up with him. Gripping her hand tightly he led her out of the living room and towards the stairs.

Without really meaning to, the teens somehow wound up in the master bedroom. Dolph shut the door and immediately pressed Kaitlyn into it, trailing kisses along her neck. He smiled at her sharp intake of breath when his lips met her collarbone and she clutched his head, holding him against her.

Breathing heavily Dolph pulled back so he could look into her eyes.

"I want you Kaitlyn. I want you so bad."

At hearing his admission the two-toned girl bit her lip before reaching down to tug at the hem of his shirt. Dolph lifted his arms, allowing her to remove his shirt, dropping it on the floor. He then mimicked her movements, pulling her shirt up and off, discarding it with his own.

Kaitlyn couldn't help the shy smile on her lips as she took in Dolph's awed expression. The show off was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, that she was all he ever wanted. Stepping away from the door she reached behind her and unhooked her bra and shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor.

She trembled as Dolph went to his knees before her, gripping her waist in his hands. His heart was pounding inside his chest as he pressed a gentle kiss between her breasts. Kaitlyn moaned softly as Dolph kissed his way to her left breast and when he took her nipple into his mouth, her knees buckled. Kaitlyn's breath was coming faster and faster as the blonde teased her with his tongue. And by the time he'd made his way over to the right breast, intending to give it the same attentions, Kaitlyn thought she might explode.

As good as it felt, she wanted to return the favor, to make Dolph feel as wonderful as he made her feel. She took a step back from him and he got to his feet, meeting her lips, practically bruising them with his intensity. He groaned into her mouth when he felt her hands roaming his chest, brushing softly over his nipples. Then, much like he'd done earlier, she kissed her way down his neck and chest, licking and sucking, smiling to herself when she saw she left marks.

Standing upright again she watched his face as she unbuttoned his jeans and reached inside his boxers after the briefest hesitation. When her fingers brushed along his hardness, Dolph hissed, thrusting up against her involuntarily.

"Babe… please…"

Kaitlyn couldn't help but grin, feeling oddly powerful that she was affecting him through such a light touch. She began to slowly stroke him, gasping when he cupped her face to kiss her thoroughly. As their lips locked and their tongues touched, as Kaitlyn continued to manipulate his manhood with her hand, Dolph knew that he wouldn't be able to wait any longer. Without separating from her, he unbuttoned and unzipped Kaitlyn's pants. After first, caressing her above the panty line, he slid his hand inside. When his fingers tentatively met her hot, moist heat Kaitlyn clutched at his arms as muscles low in her stomach tightened and for the second time, her knees buckled.

Dolph could hardly believe this was happening. But it was. Kaitlyn was here, in his arms, moaning and responding so beautifully to his touch. Lifting his head up from her neck he spied his parents' bed. Decision made he lifted the two-toned girl up and deposited her quickly on the bed. Watching him under heavy lidded eyes, she lifted her hips up so that he could pull her pants and underwear down and off.

The show-off's heart was jack hammering inside his chest as he stared down at Kaitlyn, her thighs parted, beckoning to him. Quickly he pulled his jeans and boxers down and off and climbed into bed on his hands and knees above her. Leaning forward he kissed her hard while with one hand he held his dick in one hand, slowly sliding it up and down her plump lips, teasing them both.

Kaitlyn shuddered under his touch. Unable to take any more she whispered, "Now Dolph! Please now!"

With his tenuous control already slipping he looked into her eyes. "I… I don't want to hurt you Kaitlyn."

Shaking her head she responded with, "You won't hurt me. You could never hurt me." Reaching down between them she took his length into her hand and guided him inside.

Dolph nearly collapsed on top of her, the feeling of finally being joined nothing like he had imagined. It was better. He knew that he wouldn't last long and began thrusting slowly, nearly pulling out completely only to inch his way back inside of her. He relished every sigh, every moan that he could evoke from Kaitlyn.

"You… feel so good babe…" he said, punctuating it with a kiss to her neck.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Kaitlyn groaned, the angle change causing him to go deeper. "Oh… yeah… you too…"

He couldn't continue the slow pace for long. Soon the room was filled with the sound of skin slapping skin as Dolph's hips snapped rapidly against Kaitlyn's. She was so hot, so tight around him that his orgasm struck quickly after. He moaned loudly as he emptied himself inside her. Kaitlyn had been close, but when she felt him pulsing and leaking within her she came right behind him with a gasp, her inner muscles squeezing, milking him, and prolonging both of their pleasure.

Dolph eventually fell to his side so as not to crush Kaitlyn with his weight, pulling her to her side as well. They kissed lightly as their bodies calmed and the endorphins faded.

"I love you so much babe."

"I love you too."

**Earlier**

Before Dolph and Kaitlyn had even rounded the corner to head upstairs, AJ had instantly straddled Big E's lap, staring into his eyes intently. And he stared right back, his face open and honest, clearly expecting her to say something.

But AJ only shook her head sadly tapping at her throat, telling Big E what he needed to know. Surprised, he cocked his head, suddenly realizing that he in fact hadn't heard AJ utter a single word since she arrived. Bringing his arms up around her, he hugged her tightly, hoping to comfort her to let her know that it was okay. For a time they stayed that way, with AJ's head on his massive shoulder while Big E held her.

At some point though, the mood between them shifted. Ettore suddenly became hyper aware of AJ's body against his, how the juncture of her thighs centered right above his crotch. And when she leaned back to look at his face, causing some friction below, he couldn't help his sharp intake of breath. He was powerless to stop the sudden blood rush below.

In spite of her time on the Other Side with Kane, AJ still held some of that innocence. Tilting her head a little she looked somewhat puzzled. At least until she felt his growing erection pressing against her. Her eyes widened for a second and then a rather coy smile bloomed on her face.

Slowly AJ rocked her hips forward, grinning at Big E's gasp. She watched him closely as she did it again, this time placing her palms on his chest to brace herself.

 _"_ _What is she doing to me?"_ thought Ettore frantically _. "Why is she doing this?! I can't! We can't!"_ He took his arms down from around her waist. Balling up his fists he ground them into the couch at his sides, worried that if he continued to touch her he wouldn't be able to control himself. This had the potential to get out of hand and he had no desire to hurt her in any capacity. Especially not after what Bray had said AJ and Kaitlyn probably had to endure on the Other Side.

Even though he hadn't written down a word on the notepad, AJ practically knew what Big E had to be thinking.

 _"_ _He's worried about keeping me safe, even from himself,"_ she mused. The fact that he was fighting his desire for her so hard after having spent months subjected to Kane's terrifying brand of affection just made her want Ettore all the more.

Cupping his face in her small hands, AJ leaned in and pressed her lips to his. When he didn't respond she kissed him harder, determined to break down his defenses.

 _"_ _It's okay, it's okay…"_ she mouthed against his lips. Feeling his large body trembling against her she leaned back so he could see her face. She hardly noticed the tears running down her cheeks, she was so overwhelmed, so overcome by need, by how much she wanted him.

_"_ _I love you Ettore… I'm always safe with you…"_

Big E was shaken but his self imposed restraint finally melted away. Slowly he brought his hand up to her face cupping her cheek while wiping her tears away with his thumb. This time he smiled back when the smile returned to AJ's face. And when she leaned back in to kiss him he didn't resist. He kissed her with a growing intensity, nearly identical to their greeting back at his house only a couple hours earlier. Separating after a moment for much needed air, AJ frantically began tugging at the hem of his shirt and Big E obliged her by pulling it up and over his head.

It wasn't enough. AJ wanted to see everything and was ready to give him all of her. She climbed off his lap and got to her feet and started to remove her clothes. For a moment Ettore was frozen in place, watching as more and more of her soft brown skin came into view. When she was fully nude Big E had to stifle a groan, his dick somehow harder than ever. He allowed AJ to help pull him to his feet, his breath hitching in his throat as she pulled both his pants and underwear down.

Once they were both naked, they took a moment to fully appreciate each other's bodies. AJ took a step towards Ettore, running her hands across his chest, marveling at the large muscles bunched there. From there her hands travelled lower till she held his hardness in her small hands. She tugged on him gently, smirking at his low groan. Ettore took her hands in his and sat back down on the couch, pulling her down with him. Again she straddled his lap but there was no fabric between them now. She could feel him pressed against her nether lips and AJ was nearly dizzy with anticipation. With one hand on his chest for balance, AJ lifted up slightly so she could lower herself down onto his thick pulsing manhood.

A moan caught in the back of Ettore's throat. She felt so good! He never imagined that it could be like this. And when she started moving, rocking her hips against his, Big E couldn't keep his hands busy enough. Some worry remained that he might lose control and hurt her so he focused solely on her pleasure, from caressing her face, to palming her breasts and tweaking her nipples.

AJ was on cloud nine. Big E was making her feel so loved and cherished, in a way that Kane never could. Tendrils of pleasure began uncoiling in the pit of her stomach, the beginnings of a powerful orgasm. Her body tensed and she threw her head back, a harsh cry escaping her lips as she came. Ettore watched her in near awe. She was so beautiful it hurt. And at feeling her innermost muscles fluttering around his dick, his seed came rushing forth, his own orgasm right on the heels of hers.

As they came down from their peak, AJ righted herself, gazing into Ettore's eyes.

"I… love you… Ettore…"

It came out as a husky whisper, indicative of the fact her vocal cords hadn't been used in quite a while.

Big E immediately clutched her to his chest, hugging her so tightly he was close to leaving bruises on her ribs. He kissed all along the sides of her neck before making his way to her lips. They kissed passionately, their tongues fighting for dominance as their lips locked. Finally they pulled back, the need to breathe overriding their taste for each other.

 _"_ _I love you too AJ,"_ mouthed Big E. _"You'll always be safe with me."_

**Meanwhile**

Back in Dolph's parents' bedroom, the two spent teens were on the verge of sleep. Kaitlyn was cuddled up against the blonde, being lulled to sleep by Dolph's gentle caresses and soft kisses. He was exhausted himself, but couldn't seem to stop touching Kaitlyn. It was as if he had to keep assuring himself that she was real and really here with him despite the fact they'd just made love for the first time.

There was no warning.

Kaitlyn felt herself drifting off, content for the first time in her life it seemed, when the most intense pain suddenly clenched her midsection. She gave a pained and startled gasp and curled in on herself, clutching her stomach.

Alarmed Dolph sat up, looking down at her, worry creasing his handsome features.

"What is it babe? What's wrong?!"

Kaitlyn moaned miserably, tears filling her eyes. "I don't know! I don't know! My stomach just started to-" A fresh wave of pain hit, more excruciating than the last. Kaitlyn couldn't help it; she screamed.

Dolph scrambled out of bed and pulled on his boxers before sprinting into the bathroom. He threw open the medicine cabinet looking for something, anything that could be of use but came up empty. He decided to wet a washcloth with cool water and ran back into the bedroom. Dolph placed the cool cloth on Kaitlyn's forehead, hoping like hell that it would help even a little.

The two-toned girl screamed again, feeling like she was being shredded from the inside out. Dolph was just getting ready to call for AJ and Big E when he heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Feeling relieved he looked to the door, ready to explain what had happened when the two appeared in the doorway.

His relief was short lived when he saw AJ in Big E's arms. It was clear she was suffering in a similar manner as her best friend. AJ's eyes were screwed shut tight and she gripped the flesh of Big E's chest so tightly her nails were leaving bloody half moon shaped wounds. She was gritting her teeth in a vain attempt to keep from crying out in pain.

Big E saw the condition Kaitlyn was in and his mouth pressed hard into a thin line.

 _"_ _What's happening to them?!"_ he mouthed to Dolph.

Kaitlyn shrieked and grabbed at the blonde's hand, hoping against hope he could distract her from her agony.

Dolph squeezed her hand in an attempt to comfort her. He met Big E's worried gaze and shook his head. "Fuck, I don't know man."


	15. Down Here It's Our Time

Blessedly the girls finally passed out. Their bodies already worn out from not only the binding ceremony but using that new power to create a portal to come home and the debilitating pain they were in was the last straw. Kaitlyn lay on her side, her hands balled into fists under her chin and AJ was curled into the fetal position. Aside from slight tremors, neither girl had moved for nearly twenty minutes.

When it looked as if they were going to be out for a while, the boys hurried and got dressed.

Big E had his notepad in hand, watching as Dolph paced the length of the bedroom.

The blonde chewed on his lip nervously, checking the bed periodically for signs of movement. He glanced to the side and saw that Big E was writing something.

"WE NEED TO CONTACT BRAY."

Dolph seemed to consider that for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. "I think you're right. He may know what's happening to them and how we can fix it."

Big E scribbled something else quickly. "THERE'S A CHANCE THE BROTHER'S OF DESTRUCTION WILL COME FOR THEM."

Dolph cursed under his breath. He shook his head, clearly not mentally ready to deal with such a possibility. "You stay here with them; I'm going to email Bray. Hopefully Melissa is manning the site right now."

Big E nodded and went to sit on the edge of the bed nearest AJ's impossibly still form. Dolph left the master bedroom and went to his own down the hall. The laptop was already open so he quickly pulled up his email account and sent an urgent message to Bray Wyatt.

"BRAY. THE GIRLS ARE BACK BUT ARE VERY ILL. NEED YOUR HELP ASAP. PLEASE CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU GET THIS MESSAGE."

After hitting send, the gravity of their situation seemed to hit Dolph all at once. He put his head in hands, groaning softly.

"Why?" he murmured. "Why does everything have to be so damn hard? Why can't we just be happy together?" The unfairness of it all was simply overwhelming. Kaitlyn and AJ didn't deserve this. Dolph himself and his best friend Big E didn't deserve this. They should be worrying about college and going to prom, like normal teenagers. But instead their lives constantly hang in the balance of some truly otherworldly shit.

Just as he was about to sink deeper into self pity his cell phone vibrated on the desk. Snatching it up he quickly pressed 'Answer' and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Dolph! Melissa just relayed your message to me. Is it true? Your girls have come back from the Other Side?"

Taking a deep breath and blowing it slowly, the teen sighed. "Yes, they showed up early this afternoon. They were fine up till an hour ago. Then AJ and Kaitlyn both started having insane stomach cramps. They just passed out from the pain."

Bray was quiet for a moment. "I see… Did they bring anything with them? A talisman perhaps?"

"They've got some weapons, a wicked looking sword and a dagger." Then Ettore's comment earlier ran through his head. "Bray, look man we're worried. Big E and I think the Brother's of Destruction will come looking for them. We don't know what to do!"

Wyatt went silent again, his pondering near palpable over the phone. Finally he said, "I don't know what we can do against the men who are not men. But I promised to help you boys and I meant it. Stay calm. We'll be there soon." And abruptly he ended the call.

Dolph stared down at the phone in his hand, not really sure how to feel. The Wyatt family patriarch just admitted to him he didn't know what could be done. And yet he still wanted to come, to help if he could.

Standing, he left the phone on his desk and headed back to the master bedroom. Once in the doorway he put his hands on his hips and frowned, realizing something.

"How the hell does Bray Wyatt know where I live?!"

Ettore looked up at him from the bed, puzzled, as if to say, "Huh?"

Dolph walked in and sat on the side of the bed nearest Kaitlyn. "Big E, I just got off the phone with Bray. He said he didn't know how he could help us but that he was on his way. I never told him where I live man."

Big E raised an eyebrow, actually looking rather amused. Picking up his notepad he scribbled something and showed it Dolph. "YOU'RE SURPRISED? HE'S A CULT LEADER. HE PROBABLY HAD US SCOUTED AFTER WE FIRST VISITED HIM."

The blonde thought about that for a second. "Yeah I guess you're right. That may be why he tried using Melissa and the other girls to lure us into his 'family'."

Big E shook his head, a scowl appearing on his face. He really hadn't liked anything about what had happened that day. The girls had seriously creeped him out.

A soft moan came from between them and both teens looked down to see Kaitlyn turn on her back, blinking up wearily at them.

"Well… I feel like crap," muttered the two toned girl, attempting to sit up. Her voice was hoarse and her mouth was dry. With Dolph's help she managed to sit back against the headboard.

Dolph looked pensive. "Are you still hurting?"

Kaitlyn nodded. "Yeah, but it's bearable now." Sighing she wrapped her arms around herself. "I guess they were telling the truth. God, I just didn't think…"

Big E and Dolph shared a look before Dolph said, "Who was telling the truth?"

"Undertaker and Kane. They said this would happen. That AJ and I would get sick if we left the other side. That we were going to die slowly and painfully. I thought they were just trying to scare us."

"It's why… Abby wanted us to kill ourselves…" added AJ, her voice a husky whisper from her place on the bed. She rolled onto her back to better reach for Big E's hand, gripping it tightly.

It was almost comical the way Dolph and Kaitlyn both whipped around to stare at her in utter surprise.

"She wanted us to spare you guys the pain of watching us waste away like this," continued AJ.

Ettore wrote on his notepad and held it up for both AJ and Kaitlyn to see. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE. WE WILL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT."

"Yeah," added Dolph his mood lifting a little. "We asked Bray Wyatt for help and he's on his way here now. It'll probably be a couple hours though since he lives on the outskirts of the city. An hour and a half if they push it."

AJ opened her mouth to say something but didn't get the chance. She grimaced and put her hands up to her mouth. "Big E… Bathroom…"

Quickly the large teen scooped her up in his arms and carried her to en suite bathroom. He managed to set her down in front of the toilet just in time for her to vomit noisily into the commode. Big E stood over her anxiously, rubbing her back, waiting for her to finish.

With the bout of nausea taking a backseat for the moment, AJ leaned forward, about to flush when she stopped, her eyes wide.

"Oh… my… god…"

Her vomit was black and thick like tar with what appeared to be streams of bright red blood. She felt as bad as that looked; like she was going to die. AJ felt like crying. Why did things have to end like this?

Ettore couldn't stand looking at it for another minute and flushed the toilet for her. Then he helped her to stand so she could rinse her mouth at the sink before lifting her in his arms again to carry her back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed with her in his lap, smoothing her hair back when she rested her head against his chest.

"Are you okay?" asked Dolph. He knew it was a stupid question but felt the need to say something.

AJ managed a tired giggle. "Not really. But thanks for asking."

The teens fell silent for a while. The girls were doing their best to mask just how much pain they were in; the boys both thinking and worrying about their futures and whether or not they would have them.

Kaitlyn inhaled and exhaled deeply as a particularly bad cramp finally passed.

"Dolph?"

"Yeah babe?"

"I meant to tell you earlier, but we think we met that Bray fellow's sister on the Other Side."

The show-off's eyes widened. "Really? You saw Abigail?!"

"Yes... I mean she called herself Abby but I'm pretty sure it's her. She's the one that helped us to escape and she claimed she knew how to help because she went through it herself. It's just that now she's a ghost and a servant in Undertaker and Kane's castle."

Dolph's features darkened. "Is that because she killed herself here? After seeing her brother one last time?"

Kaitlyn nodded slowly. Dolph reached forward, to pull her to him for a hug but when he touched her he immediately snatched his hands back.

"Ouch! Dammit!"

Kaitlyn shrank back in alarm. "What happened? Did I hurt you?"

Dolph looked down and saw that the tips of his fingers were red as though he'd gotten electrocuted.

"Babe, sit still, I'm going to try something." He reached for her again with only his left hand slowly this time and when he was about an inch from her skin he saw it; little blue electrical pulses jumping from her flesh to his and the charge was surprisingly painful.

"Holy shit Kaitlyn," he said, pulling his hand away.

The girl blinked back tears at this new startling symptom. "It must be because of the binding ceremony. I've got the Undertaker's power inside me." Then a sudden thought crossed her mind and she quickly turned to look at AJ and Big E.

Sure enough there was steam rising up out of AJ's pores. Her eyes were closed and she didn't seem to notice. Ettore on the other hand, continued to cradle her against his chest, despite the fact that he had to be in terrible pain.

Kaitlyn just couldn't watch him suffer like that. "AJ! Get up! You're burning him!"

Frowning, AJ lifted her head up, feeling rather sluggish. "Huh?" Then she saw that his skin looked raw in the places their skin had touched. Shrieking she scrambled out of his lap, falling onto the bed.

"I'm so sorry Big E! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Her lower lip trembled as she took in the damage to his flesh.

Ettore actually shot Kaitlyn a dirty look before writing in his notepad. "I'M FINE. I CAN HANDLE IT." He reached for AJ again only to have her scoot away from him, shaking her head. Sighing, he leaned back, trying hard to mask how hurt he truly was. He only wanted to comfort AJ and now she clearly felt worse for injuring him.

Deciding that they'd better try something else while waiting on Bray and his men to show up, Dolph stood up. "Babe? We're going to go fix you two something eat. Just stay up here and rest, okay?"

Kaitlyn had zero appetite but figured this would help the boys feel useful in what felt like a hopeless situation. "Okay. We'll be here."

The blonde smiled and then motioned for Big E to follow him out of the room. He led him to the hallway bathroom first and got out some Neosporin and some cotton balls. After spreading the ointment on the cotton balls he wiped it across the burns on Big E's flesh.

"You're lucky man, these don't look that bad," said Dolph as he worked.

Big E shrugged and let Dolph finish what he was doing. Once he was done they both headed downstairs to the kitchen.

The blonde went to the cabinet and pulled out a couple of cans of chicken noodle soup, one of the few items of animal protein his mom allowed in the house. He emptied them into a pot on the stove and turned on the burner. While they waited for it to cook, he and Ettore sat at the kitchen table.

Dolph laid his hands open on the table and stared at his lightly burned fingertips. He looked up to see Big E watching him.

"I'm scared bro. I'm so fucking scared for them _and_ for us."

Big E reached across the table to put his hand over top of Dolph's.

He mouthed the words, _"Me too."_

**Meanwhile**

Across town Jim found himself in a neighborhood he wasn't entirely comfortable being in. Earlier in the day he'd received a call from the town high school's assistant principle. She'd told him that she was fairly positive she saw his missing daughter at the school today. And that she'd left with one Dolph Ziggler. Although she had advised Jim to call the police, he knew that wasn't a great idea. If he tried to retrieve her with the assistance of the local cops, she might tell them about the unconventional way he chose to love his daughter.

That's why he now stood outside the rundown home of the leader of the Hounds, Dean Ambrose. Jim knocked on the door and stood back, waiting. Eventually he heard some sounds and the door swung open. It'd been over a year since he and Ambrose had crossed paths and Jim had to admit the teen looked decidedly more insane since last year.

Dean glared at the man on his front porch, about to curse him out when he finally realized who he was looking at. "Ahhh… I know you… You're Kaitlyn's pops, right? What the fuck are you doing here man?"

Jim shoved his hands in his pockets, a little rattled by how the boy was speaking to him. "Yeah, I'm Kaitlyn's dad. I came to ask you for help."

Dean looked the man up and down in disbelief before chortling, "And why would I help you?"

Jim sighed, exasperated. "Look, Kaitlyn's been spotted in town. I know she's at that Ziggler kid's house and I need some help to get her out of there." Then, remembering that last year Dean seemed to have a vested interest in AJ, he added, "I'm sure that AJ is with her."

Now Ambrose looked intrigued. "Alright… Alright, I'll help you man. Just let me go call my boys. Wait here." And Dean went back inside the house.

Jim smiled. He and his beautiful daughter were about to be reunited.

It was going to be a good day.


	16. Fight And Defend You

The Brother's of Destruction stood in the middle of their desert meeting place, waiting for the cursed Underworld ruler to show up.

 _"_ _He's late again brother!"_ Kane tugged on his glove, his annoyance more than evident.

"Be patient Kane," said 'Taker putting fisted hands on his hips. "Are you really in that much of a hurry to start this war? Because that is the most likely outcome." Undertaker looked at his brother over the top of his sunglasses, his eyebrow raised.

Kane was undeterred. _"I have AJ. You have Kaitlyn. We are ready for whatever comes our way."_

At that the Lord of Darkness chuckled. "You have a point."

The ground began to shake and both men looked towards to what appeared to be the epicenter. Sand and dust flew into the air as the earth trembled beneath their feet. Then just as quickly all was still. A crater had formed about a yard away from them and in the center of it stood the being on whom they waited.

Mephistopheles looked just as he had before, wearing a long brown trench coat, no shirt and a pair of slacks with work boots. And although his hair was still wild and sticking out every which way it was now bright red, which to anyone other than the Brother's of Destruction would have been rather disconcerting given the similar color of his eyes.

"Gentlemen! My apologies! How rude of me to keep you waiting!" Mephistopheles walked towards them, his arms swinging, with a huge secretive grin on his face.

Though he couldn't see him do it, due to the sunglasses he wore, Undertaker's eyes narrowed. "Have you agreed to our proposal?"

The man who was not a man stopped about two feet away from them, smiling serenely. "You know 'Taker… I considered your offer. It _is_ fair, after all. But then I thought, since when do I give a fuck about fair?"

Mephistopheles laughed loudly, clapping his hands, causing red electricity to crackle between them.

"You two are _mine_!" he exclaimed suddenly, his voice dipping into a low growl. "And by extension so is everything that belongs to you! If you don't stop bullshitting around, I will _destroy_ you and vaporize the entire Other Side so you are unable to regenerate! It will be as if you never even existed!"

Undertaker and Kane both crossed their arms over their chests, starring impassively at the embodiment of evil before them.

"So I guess that's a 'no' then?" asked 'Taker. When Mephistopheles only cocked his head at him, Undertaker continued nonplussed;

"Let's get something straight. We do not belong to you. We're no longer indebted to you so your threats are meaningless." Then taking a step forward he added, "You're really not going to like what happens next if you refuse our offer so I suggest you take it."

Mephistopheles merely shook his head. "You boys disappoint me. But now let me tell _you_ something. You're power base isn't as secure as you think. Especially not if you plan to go to war against me."

Fiddling with the cuffs of his coat, his gaze turned mocking. "Your girls? Those delectable little hotties you went through all that trouble to bind to you? They're dead or they will be soon. Their souls will arrive where I dwell verrry shortly." His goat-like eyes crinkled up as his face filled with unabashed mirth.

Both Kane and 'Taker stiffened, their large bodies going impossibly still. Though Mephistopheles was the king of deception, they knew that this time, his words rang true. On earth it was difficult to feel the bonds between them and the girls so the Brothers were completely unaware anything was amiss. Now though, they immediately sent out a burst of magick, testing its weight. They each felt it ping back, incredibly weak.

AJ and Kaitlyn were… here? On this side? And it seemed that they had very little time left.

Mephistopheles smiled knowingly. "I'll be stopping by your castle soon, with my _revised_ contract. In exchange for their souls we'll work out a more lucrative exchange of power. Much the same as with little Abigail. See ya' soon."

The ground instantly erupted around them, forcing the Brother's of Destruction to step back as Mephistopheles disappeared.

Once he was gone, 'Taker instantly raised his hands high overhead, sending several bolts of large purple forked lightning into the sky, his eyes turning black with rage.

A few feet away, Kane hurled a massive fireball at a nearby boulder, causing it to explode, showering the desert with rubble.

Some of his fury released, 'Taker brought his arms back down and turned to his brother. "We have to go Kane. They're still alive. If we get them back to the Other Side in time, we can save them."

Kane turned slowly to face his brother. His large body trembled, a sign that he was fighting to keep his temper in check. After a few seconds he simply nodded. Taker muttered the spell under his breath, opening a huge vortex in front of them. They stepped inside, knowing that their time was short. And because they were significantly weaker on earth, they had to use a series of checkpoints instead of going directly from point A to point B. They just hoped they wouldn't be too late.

**At the Ziggler house**

In a feat of ingenuity, the boys brought the girls downstairs wrapped in blankets so they could sit on the couch and try to eat. They continued to hold them while the girls attempted a few spoonfuls of soup.

AJ managed to get 4 spoonfuls down before setting the bowl on the coffee table and snuggling into Big E's arms. He was already starting to sweat due to the remarkable heat and steam coming out of AJ's pores, but at least with the blanket between them he could keep from getting 1st degree (or worse) burns.

Kaitlyn only swallowed a couple of spoonfuls of soup before she too set the bowl down. She leaned back against Dolph, relieved to be able to be close to him in her deteriorating condition.

The teens sat in semi-comfortable silence with the boys glancing at the clock every few minutes, hoping for Bray's arrival. And when the doorbell rang the boys actually sighed with relief. The show-off got Kaitlyn situated on the couch and then got up to answer the door.

Dolph unlocked the door and pulled it open. "I was wondering how long-" The rest of the sentence died in his throat as he stared unbelieving at the three Hounds and behind them with a smug smile on his face, Jim, Kaitlyn's father.

Immediately Dolph tried to slam the door shut but was met with resistance as the three teens filled the doorway trying to force their way inside.

"Big E! Get the girls out of here! Fuck! The Hounds are here!"

In the living room the Kaitlyn and AJ gasped simultaneously while Ettore bolted up from his place on the couch. Just as he set AJ's trembling form down, a crash was heard from the kitchen and the beginnings of what sounded like a brawl. He rushed down the hallway and burst into the kitchen to see Dolph on the floor being pummeled by Seth and Roman. And walking towards him with a sick grin on his face was Dean Ambrose.

"Ahh… Langston… You know I never got to pay you back for bashing my brains in," he said putting his fist to his temple several times as he advanced.

"I'm gonna hurt you," continued Ambrose in a sing song voice. "Then I'm taking AJ. She's mine! She's _my_ Doll!"

Big E bared his teeth, his fists clenched at his side. He had no intentions in letting the demented fuck anywhere near AJ.

 _"_ _I'll kill you first,"_ thought Ettore viciously.

Dean's grin never wavered as he lunged at the larger teen. Big E was ready though and caught him with a right hook to his jaw. It barely rocked Dean and he retaliated by sending a straight on punch to Ettore's nose, breaking it on impact. Blood spurted out and the Hounds leader laughed, ducking Big E's fist coming for his face again.

Ignoring the blazing pain in the center of his face, Big E threw a couple of punches to Ambrose's midsection, connecting solidly with his body. Dean doubled over, his breath leaving in a harsh whoosh of pain. Then another powerful hit to his chin caused him to fly backwards, landing hard on his back.

Now Ambrose was worried. He began scooting back on his hands as Big E stalked towards him. Dean stopped when he reached the threshold of the living room though, frantically trying to reach something in his back pocket. Grasping it, the Hounds leader grinned wildly. But Ettore was like a man possessed. He wanted to end this. With a growl he threw himself on top of Dean, ready to rip him apart when he suddenly felt a sharp, hot pain in his side.

With a groan Big E clutched at his side, shocked to find a switchblade protruding there. Ambrose shoved the boy off of him, chuckling evilly. Getting to his feet he stood and surveyed the living room, spotting AJ and Kaitlyn, huddled together on the far end of it, watching him fearfully.

The girls were so weak now. It was taking all their energy just to remain standing. They watched helplessly as Dean Ambrose walked deliberately towards them.

About a foot in front of the girls, Dean stopped. All things considered he looked rather calm, and that in and of itself made him seem even more dangerous.

At that moment, the sounds of fighting from the kitchen ceased and a series of footsteps came down the hallway. The first person to enter the living room was the absolute last person Kaitlyn expected to see. Her blood ran cold and her knees buckled when her father walked in. And behind him were the other two members of the Hounds. Roman entered licking at a bleeding cut on his rapidly swelling lip and Seth's right eye was a deep shade of purple. Obviously Dolph had gotten some good offense in, but where was he now? Was he okay or in worse shape than Big E who still lay bleeding from a stab wound on the floor?

Jim stopped next to Dean Ambrose, happy that his plan to bring in the deranged teen and his violent friends had truly worked in his favor. Kaitlyn was back! And she was going to be his again. His eyes raked up and down her body, silently noting how she was nearly doubled over and the ghostly pallor of her skin. Genuine concern etched his features. Why did she look so ill?

"It's been a long time Kaitlyn," said Jim quietly. "I don't know where you've been the past 13 months but we can discuss it later. It's time come home Kaitlyn. It's time to come home baby. I've missed you so much."

Kaitlyn's grip around AJ's arms tightened as she took in her father's possessive stance. Was she really going to have to spend her last hours with _him_?

The two-toned girl shook her head slowly. "No. I'm not going anywhere. I can't."

Jim took another step forward, close enough that he could feel the incredible heat coming off the girls' bodies. He thought it strange and it concerned him but he forged ahead anyway. "Look Kaitlyn, enough is enough. Come with me now and nobody else has to get hurt. I'm your father. You belong with me."

Again Kaitlyn shook her head. "You stopped being my father a long time ago. I don't want anything more to do with you! Why can't you see that? I came back to be with Dolph. I love him."

At her proclamation Jim's eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth finally losing the battle with his temper. "You ungrateful little bitch!" he spat. "Don't you dare talk to me like that! If you think that for one second I'm going to let you continue to disrespect me…"

Throughout their exchange AJ glared fearfully at Dean Ambrose whom to his credit hadn't made a move yet. He just continued to leer at AJ, clearly excited about the prospect of finally having her all to himself.

Across the room Big E was still on the floor in tremendous pain. His nose was clearly broken and the knife was still in his side. But from where he lay, he was able to see the look of abject terror on AJ's face. He didn't know what he could do in this situation but he had to try something. Steeling himself for what needed to be done Ettore took a deep breath and held it. He then took hold of the switchblade in his side and slowly pulled it out, exhaling sharply as he did so.

Just as he was about to try getting to his feet, Big E gasped as a large foot stomped down hard on his arm. He looked up to see Roman Reigns staring down at him with a nasty smirk on his face. "And where do you think you're going?" He took his foot off Big E's arm and kicked him hard in the teen's already injured side. Roman watched as the boy curled in on himself, shaking.

Seth chuckled. He knew that Roman had been dying to inflict some pain on the other boy after knocking him out last year.

Suddenly the sound of an approaching engine was enough to cause everybody in the room to pause. The sound grew louder until it sounded like the vehicle making that noise was parked right outside the house. Everyone went still when they heard the creak of car doors opening and then slamming shut. The front door of the house then opened and there were murmuring voices coming from the kitchen. Next, some shuffling and then heavy footsteps coming down the hallway.

Dean managed to tear his gaze away from AJ so he and the Hounds could stand together, facing the hallway, preparing for whatever happened to be coming their way. Jim also turned around, his forehead creased in worry.

First a bearded man in a loud Hawaiian shirt and white linen pants appeared. He was able to assess the situation quickly and spied the missing girls across the room. They looked very similar to Abigail when she had returned with pale with hollow bruises under their eyes. Tell-tale signs of having spent significant time on the Other Side.

Behind the man in the loud shirt came another bearded man wearing a dirty white tank top and jeans. He was holding a barely conscious Dolph Ziggler up and dragging him into the room. The teen's left cheekbone was split open and so was his bottom lip. There was a lot of blood coming from the side of his head that continued to drip down past his face and ear. In a word he looked a mess. Kaitlyn put a hand to her mouth, her heart aching for him.

When Dolph saw Jim standing so close to Kaitlyn he tried to break away from Harper, but the man held him tighter, not giving him the chance.

Lastly, another bearded man in green coveralls entered the room. He had a dirty and tattered sheep mask over his face. He saw Big E on the floor and helped him to his feet like he weighed barely anything. He took care to not tear the wound in his side that continued to bleed steadily. At this rate, Ettore would be lucky if he managed to not pass out.

Bray looked past the members of the Hounds staring daggers at him to the girls behind them.

He laughed a surprisingly happy sound. "Escaping the Other Side… it is… truly an extraordinary feat! I commend you girls… for doing the impossible, leaving those men who are not men… the Brother's of Destruction."

AJ took a step forward to peer at the man speaking and realization hit. "Are you Abby's brother?"

Bray went still. "You know her? You know my dear sweet Abigail?!" He watched as both girls nodded and he felt his heart twist inside his chest.

The brunette looked down at the floor. "Yes… She's a ghost servant in Kane and Undertaker's castle. She helped us escape. We were supposed to kill ourselves as soon as we made peace with…" Abruptly she looked towards Big E whose previously unfocused eyes were riveted on hers and then Dolph who stared miserably back at them.

Tears coming now she continued, "But we couldn't! We couldn't do it! And now we're dying anyway. It hurts so much… And Abby tried to spare us… to help us spare them…"

Kaitlyn bit her lip at AJ's words. Their own agony was so great and now because they were selfish, Big E and Dolph were suffering too. What a fucking mess! If only they had listened to Abby…

To hear of Abigail in such a state was quite a shock for Bray but he forced himself not to dwell on it. He brought his attention back to the three teens dressed in black in front of him. He locked eyes with the dirty blond, the clear leader.

"Young man… You and your buddies have done enough damage here. Leave! So that we may tend to the girls and-"

Dean actually scoffed. "No. See we're not going anywhere. I only agreed to help Jim here so I could get my Doll. I'm not leaving without her. Now you and _your_ boys can either fuck off, or stay and get hurt."

As if for emphasis, Roman flexed his muscles and flipped his hair back. Seth beat his chest with his fists a few times before ringing out his hands, getting loose and ready. Dean took a step towards Bray, rolling his head about his shoulders, popping his neck.

"Make your move man."

Bray Wyatt could see that reasoning with Dean wasn't going to work. And one look at the girls and at Dolph and Big E showed that they absolutely needed some first aid, if not outright medical assistance.

This was going to have to be quick.

Bray gestured behind him, having Erick and Luke set the injured boys down in nearby chairs. Then they flanked him.

Seth attacked first, leaping onto Erick Rowan, pummeling him as hard as he could while the larger man tried to shake him off. Dean and Roman followed suit. Bray and Ambrose began trading punches back and forth while Roman ran and launched himself at Luke, both of them crashing into an end table, shattering the lamp that was on it.

Amidst all the chaos of the two groups battling it out, Jim decided that now was his chance to take Kaitlyn and get the hell out of there. She and AJ watched him advance, clutching each other tightly, their eyes wide. He was about a foot away when he felt himself being wrenched around. He ended up face to face with a very disgusted looking Dolph Ziggler.

Jim didn't even have time to react. Dolph leveled him with a quick right hook. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but the older man was dazed and stayed down for the count.

Dolph limped towards Kaitlyn and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the prickling electrical shocks to his exposed skin. He noticed with quiet alarm that the shocks were not nearly as powerful as before. Was it because she was weaker?

AJ pulled away from Kaitlyn right before the blonde hugged her. She went over to Big E, doing her best to avoid the grappling men, all still fighting, trying hard to one up each other. She had just about reached him when Dean spied her and after ducking and dodging Bray, he made as if to grab her. She squealed when Ettore yanked her up and into his arms, a sudden surge of adrenaline the only thing giving him strength at the moment.

Ambrose snarled and reached for them when he was tackled from behind by Bray Wyatt. They fell to the floor, punching each other wildly.

AJ looked into Big E's eyes gratefully.

"We have to go," she said.

Ettore nodded in agreement. He did his best to ignore the burning caused by skin to skin contact with AJ and signaled to Dolph and Kaitlyn that they needed to try to leave. The Wyatt Family would no doubt find them later. Right now they needed to escape their current danger, Jim and the Hounds.

**Across Town**

Electricity crackled around the remaining wooded area near Kaitlyn and AJ's old club house. A vortex appeared amidst the electrical storm and out of it stepped The Lord of Darkness and The Devil's Favorite Demon. They both looked up into the sky, noting that the sun would be setting shortly.

_"_ _Brother. Do you feel that?"_

'Taker turned to look at Kane. "Yes. The girls' power is low but not beyond repair. They're still fighting. They are stubborn after all." He chuckled but not like it was funny.

Looking down he noticed that they were being swarmed by a couple dozen creatures of the night. With a wave of his hand he sent them all forth in an effort to lead them to AJ and Kaitlyn's location though he had an idea of where they probably might be.

And so the two giant men walked through the forest until they reached the edge where it met the street. They watched as the inky black shadows crawled along the street, making their way to the wealthy end of town.

"Of course," muttered Undertaker with a frown.

The Brother's of Destruction continued to walk in the middle of the street, completely ignoring ordinary human laws of the road. So it was no surprise when they inadvertently caused a traffic jam and found themselves being honked at by several agitated drivers behind them.

A man in a bright red Jeep Wrangler was right behind them, leaning on the horn. And when that didn't work, he yelled at both men from the driver's side window, cursing up a storm.

Finally Kane had had enough. He turned around and flung an enormous fireball that hit the Jeep straight on, exploding it on contact. Then for good measure, he hurled four more fireballs at the vehicles behind the Jeep's burning wreckage, destroying a minivan, a Cadillac, a Buick and a pickup truck. The woman driving the minivan managed to jump out before it blew up, but the resulting explosion threw her several feet in the air. She crashed down onto the hood of a parked car on the other side of the street causing its alarm to blare.

Kane glanced at his brother whose shoulders appeared to be shaking in silent laughter. Shrugging he gestured forward, indicating that they needed to continue walking. Besides, after the mess he just caused, the human authority known as the police would be on them soon enough.

They had just reached Dolph Ziggler's neighborhood by following the creatures of the night when they heard approaching sirens. The house was just in sight when in no time they were surrounded by eight police cruisers (probably the town's entire police force). Searchlights were trained on the brothers as the police officers exited their vehicles with their weapons drawn.

"This is the police!" yelled one of the officers. "We have you surrounded! Do not move or you will be fired upon! Put your hands on top of your heads and walk slowly towards us!"

 _"_ _Brother! We do not have time for this!"_ exclaimed Kane mentally.

Undertaker huffed, clearly exasperated. "This is your fault Kane. Let's just do what the man says."

Kane gave him a narrowed eye glance but Undertaker merely gave a smirk in response. Slowly both men went to put their hands on top of their heads, making their way to the nearest police car. Instead though, 'Taker reached upwards, bringing lightning crashing down onto two of the police cars, frying the cruisers and electrocuting the officers, killing them instantly. At the same time Kane brought his hands down causing flames to burst up from the ground underneath three other police cruisers, exploding the cars and cops in shower of burning body parts and twisted metal.

One of the remaining officers immediately jumped back into his car and sped away, not looking back. The other two cops began firing their weapons at the brothers, one using a police issue handgun, the other a shotgun. The Undertaker took a chest full of buck shot but it did little more than annoy him. He threw a ball of electricity at the offending officer that hit him full force in the face, killing him instantly. Kane also threw a huge ball of fire at the last officer, knocking him to the ground, searing his flesh. The man screamed and screamed as his skin melted away his death a searing agony.

Shaking himself as if shrugging off the fact that he'd been shot, Undertaker then pointed to the large house a few yards away.

"That's where our girls are."

Inside the Ziggler house, the fighting had stopped. The Wyatts and the Hounds were at a stalemate after tirelessly trying to one up each other. And somehow Big E and Dolph hadn't been able to escape with the girls because every time they tried to leave, one of the Hounds would block their path to safety. The boys were too tired and hurt to both fight back _and_ keep AJ and Kaitlyn safe so they hung back, watching and hoping that the Wyatts would be victorious.

Instead… a Mexican standoff.

Everyone looked around at each other in silence, assessing their enemies, weighing their options. But when they heard sirens not far from the house, it was assumed somebody in the neighborhood had called the police on their fray. At least until they heard a series of explosions and cries of pain not a minute later.

Kaitlyn shivered, suddenly feeling warmer than she had since the Sickness set in. She looked up at Dolph who was still holding her, her eyes wide and fearful.

"Oh god… I can _feel_ him! He's here. They're here. They came for us…"

Dolph's eyes widened and he looked at Big E in alarm.

"Shit! That's it. What the fuck do we do?"

The Hounds all looked around at each other in confusion. Jim had since gotten up off the floor, the look on his face similar to theirs.

What the hell was going on?

They didn't get a chance to verbalize it because the house started to shake. It felt like a rumbling coming from the very foundation of the estate. Then, unbelievably, the entire west wall of the house came crashing down as if a giant hand had just come and ripped it away. The girls screamed and everyone ran and ducked for cover among the falling debris and glass.

Undertaker and Kane walked through the fallen rubble and into the remaining part of the living room where they were actually surprised to see more than just AJ and Kaitlyn with their loves.

'Taker raised an eyebrow as he looked around the room. When he saw Jim he didn't stop to think, he just flung ball of lightning directly at the man, hitting him straight in the face. It killed him instantly, though his body continued to jerk involuntarily on the floor.

Kaitlyn hadn't moved at all when her father was murdered right before her eyes. In fact the only thing she felt was relief. So much so that she sagged against Dolph who was now supporting most of her weight.

"I'll see you on the Other Side," rumbled Undertaker as he glared at the fresh corpse. He was about to turn his attention to Kaitlyn when he heard someone come up behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Dean Ambrose. 'Taker couldn't help the smirk on his face when he met the teen's eyes as it was clear that Ambrose recognized his voice.

"You!" bellowed Dean taking a heavy step towards him. "Hey, I'm talking to you fucker! You broke your promise to me! You promised me AJ!"

"And like I told you a year ago, 'I lied'," replied 'Taker before knocking Dean out with a powerful punch to the chin. The Hounds' leader fell like a sack of potatoes causing both Seth and Roman to back away, but they didn't leave. They couldn't, not with Dean unconscious on the floor.

Kane hadn't taken his eyes off AJ since they arrived. At this distance he could feel the sheer agony she was in and it impressed him that she was handling near death so well.

Maybe he wouldn't punish her for betraying him after all.

Somehow Ettore could tell that the masked man was about to try for AJ. This was it. He knew that in the next few minutes he could die, in as possibly a gruesome fashion as Kaitlyn's father. He had no problem giving his life to protect AJ but he wondered if it would be in vain. These were supernatural, super strong beings from another plane of existence. He was just a mute lovestruck larger than average high school boy. What could he do?

However, AJ made the choice for him. She shoved away from Big E, inadvertently pulling some of his singed flesh with her. He inhaled sharply but tried to grab her up in his arms again, silently damning the pain in his side. In the end he was held back by Bray Wyatt whom stared daggers at the Brother's of Destruction.

AJ fell to her knees at Kane's feet. She looked up at him, her large brown eyes filling with tears.

"Please…" she whispered. "Please Kane. Don't kill him. I just wanted…" Then noticing Kaitlyn's terrified face behind him she said, "We just wanted to see them again. Please, don't hurt them anymore. They've been through so much already and it's all been because of us."

Kane's large body had jerked in surprise at hearing AJ speak for the first time in months. Most of his earlier rage seemed to fizzle out of his body. Now he only wanted to get her back to the castle so he could help her heal.

He responded to her pleas by reaching down and lifting her up into his arms, cradling her against his massive chest. AJ tensed at first but as soon as her skin made contact with him she felt marginally better. Her pain had been cut in half! She sighed with relief, her eyes sliding closed as she relaxed against The Devil's Favorite Demon.

Big E felt his heart breaking as he watched AJ essentially beg to save his life. She loved him and she felt that was the only way to protect him.

 _"_ _I don't blame you AJ,"_ thought Ettore fiercely. _"I don't blame you for any of this! Not for anything that's happened. I love you so much…"_

Dolph could tell that Kaitlyn was about to follow AJ's lead but he held onto her tightly, unwilling to release her to the monster of a man in front of them.

"You have to let me go Dolph," said Kaitlyn sadly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about everything. All you've done is love me and I'll I've brought you is pain. Let… me… go."

The blonde shook his head, nuzzling into Kaitlyn's neck. "No babe. I can't! Please, I can't be without you again!"

'Taker heard this and growled impatiently. Taking a cue from Kane he tried to appeal to Dolph's love for Kaitlyn. "You see it don't you boy? How her condition is deteriorating right before your eyes? The Sickness has her and she's in agony. But I can heal her and I kill her pain. She'll die if she stays. You don't want that do you?" He didn't bother adding that if she perished, she would be his anyway. What would saying that accomplish?

Dolph was conflicted. He wanted nothing more than for Kaitlyn to be healthy once again. He wanted her pain free and not on the verge of death. But that meant spending the rest of her life with a monster.

It meant spending the rest of his life without her.

Finally he let his arms drop to his sides, releasing his hold on the two-toned girl. His fists were clenched at his sides, trembling when he felt a soft kiss on his cheek and Kaitlyn moving away from him. He watched with his heart shattering in his chest with each step that she took towards The Lord of Darkness.

Kaitlyn stood in front of the Undertaker, looking up at him wearily. His face was dark and unreadable so it surprised a squeak out of her when he lifted her effortlessly into his arms as Kane had done with AJ moments ago. When her pain level decreased by half at his touch, she too, allowed her eyes to close in utter relief.

'Taker said muttered the spell and flung some energy near the hallway, opening a large vortex nearest his brother. Kane gave Undertaker a meaningful look before walking through it with AJ in his arms. Big E frantically tried to get away from Bray, to follow them, but Luke had joined in with Wyatt in keeping Ettore from doing something foolish.

Undertaker was about to step into the vortex behind Kane when he felt a tugging on his pants leg. It was Dean who was muttering curses and crawling after him. The Lord of Darkness was about to stomp his head in when he had a second thought. Instead he shifted so that he had Kaitlyn in one arm and with the other he reached down and grabbed Ambrose by his neck and threw him into the vortex.

Seth yelled out, "Fuck! Dean! No!" And dived after his friend into the blackness of the vortex. Roman's loyalty did not run that deep. He had no desire to follow those two numbskulls but unfortunately 'Taker yanked him by his shirt and dropped him into the vortex as well.

Dolph watched helplessly as 'Taker took Kaitlyn into the vortex and the rip into the fabric of reality disappeared.

Bray Wyatt released Ettore, allowing him to slide to the floor, his large shoulder shaking with the power of his silent sobs.

Rubbing his hands together Bray said, "Boys… Let us first leave here, since the authorities will be coming and asking a whole bunch of questions they're not going to believe the answers to. Once we're safe, we'll have plenty to discuss while I tend to your wounds."


	17. 96 Power

For the second time in as many days, Kane found himself seated in his large bathtub with AJ resting between his legs. She was practically comatose with her head thrown back on his chest, her mouth parted slightly. Every so often a light snore would escape her lips and in spite of everything that had transpired recently, he couldn't help but smile under his mask. His affection for her somehow growing along with his respect. AJ had gone through a lot and purposefully defied him and suffered through sheer agony, no doubt ready to die for the love of that large human boy back on earth. How could he not respect her efforts? Of course all of that only served to prove, in Kane's mind, that she was truly perfect for him.

In an uncharacteristic show of tenderness, Kane allowed his fingers to trail through her hair, from the roots down to the damp ends. He watched, immensely pleased, as unusually dark steam rose from the girl's pores. The Sickness was leaving her. And the skin to skin contact between them would serve to strengthen her, allowing her body to reabsorb his power much like after the initial bonding ceremony.

_"_ _You tried. You fought so hard little one. Yet here you are again. And here you will stay."_

His fingers continued to run through her hair, surprised when he heard her sigh before snuggling back against him. He no longer sensed that she was in pain which could explain her sudden comfort with him.

Or maybe she was finally accepting her fate.

_"_ _I hope for your sake AJ that you will no longer continue to fight me. Things… will get most unpleasant for you… if you do."_

Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Undertaker was helping Kaitlyn to reabsorb his power in a similar fashion. They were seated in a large tub, 'Taker opting to recline so that the girl was actually lying on top of him in the water. His eyes were closed but he could hear the snap and crackle of dark electricity jumping off Kaitlyn's skin, The Sickness finally leaving her body.

While they lay there, 'Taker focused some of his energy on healing the wounds the two-toned girl left in his side. The exact moment they'd gotten in the tub, she'd shrieked in sudden agony, clutching his large body so tightly she'd broken one of his ribs and left substantial bruising. He didn't tell her of course, showing absolutely no outward sign that she'd injured him. Instead 'Taker had merely held her to him as they sunk into the near scalding water until she'd calmed enough for him to relax. Kaitlyn had passed out sometime after that.

And now she laid against him, unmoving, the only thing signaling life was the feel of her breath blowing across his damp chest.

_"_ _You're much stronger than I anticipated Kaitlyn," thought 'Taker. "Had you and AJ not been in the throes of The Sickness, I have no doubt that you would have been able to handle the danger you found yourselves in…"_

It was an interesting thought really. The Lord of Darkness knew just how spirited and tenacious AJ and Kaitlyn were (hell, it was why he and Kane chose them) but it had probably never even occurred to them to try using their new powers on Jim or those meddlesome troublemakers, The Hounds.

Undertaker's lips curled into a frightening smirk as he thought about what he had in store for those four. Killing Kaitlyn's abusive father had brought about some measure of satisfaction, but he wasn't finished with the man yet. Right now he was in a cell with other souls 'Taker and Kane had collected, his energy being siphoned and added to their growing power base.

For now.

But Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns would succumb to a much different fate. Yes, he had plans for those three, and he would deal with them, just as soon as Kaitlyn was closer to being well.

**H**

Pacing from one end of the cell to the other; it's what Dean Ambrose had been doing since coming to after being dropped through the vortex. The Hounds leader had been muttering under his breath the entire time. It wasn't loud enough for his friends to hear but his agitation was obvious and familiar.

Seth stood near the bars of their prison, looking around the room, both fascinated and disgusted at the sight of the Other Side creatures. All things considered, he was probably handling this predicament better than either of his friends. Perhaps it was because he held some measure of hope. Or maybe he just wasn't smart enough to realize the truth.

There was no way out of this.

Roman Reigns sat on the floor of the cell, with his back against the wall, his knees drawn up to his chest. His head rested atop his knees, unwilling to witness the horrors of the dungeon beyond their small cell. Roman was frightened. It was a weird, unpleasant sensation this fear and he felt weak because of it. If only he had listened to his gut the first time Dean talked about getting AJ back! He let his blind loyalty to Dean and to Seth lead him to this godforsaken place.

_"_ _We're finished. We're going to die here."_

Roman sighed and shook his head. Knowing that his death was imminent brought about some surprising remorse for the terrible things he'd done in life.

All the torturing… the arsons... the killings… the assaults… the rapes…

This dark pit of despair was opening up inside him as he began recounting all the atrocities he'd committed. Most with his friends, but there were others that he'd done all his own. It all played inside his mind like a horrifying film that he couldn't shut off. Roman groaned but accepted it like a sort of self-inflicted punishment.

_"_ _I deserve this. We deserve this…"_

**A**

Abby floated throughout the castle, completing chores and doing little odd jobs and tasks. She was trying desperately to keep busy, until she got a chance to speak with the girls. She needed to find out what happened! How could the plan have gone so awry?

Abby had been horrified, not to mention devastated when Undertaker and Kane had arrived back at the castle with the girls, limp and unresponsive, but alive in their arms. Kane had ignored her presence to take AJ swiftly up the stairs, but 'Taker… The Lord of Darkness had paused to give her a look so cold that she nearly felt it, like a chill blowing through her ghostly form.

It was obvious that he knew she had helped the girls to escape. After all, she'd done it herself years ago. He would probably want to punish her for this infraction. She merely hoped that Kaitlyn and AJ wouldn't be punished as well. Abby didn't think that they'd be able to handle whatever the dead man planned to dish out.

With some resignation, Abby went back to straightening up the castle. On her way to the kitchen, she breezed past Mr. Lee who was looking more and more dejected these days. The guilt he felt for AJ and Kaitlyn's predicament was palpable. He was essentially the reason why they were here and it pained the older ghost to see the girls suffering.

A loud banging sounded at the front door and Abby stopped what she was doing immediately. The Brothers of Destruction didn't often receive visitors. When they did, it was usually a high ranking being from another dimension, either calling on them for help, or bringing offerings for services rendered. That was how they'd gotten the dragon they kept imprisoned in the dungeon, a lovely, albeit dangerous gift.

Abby floated back towards the foyer to find that Mr. Lee had already opened the door. And in stepped someone that Abby hadn't expected to see ever again.

"Well hello love," purred Mephistopheles when he caught sight of her. He smirked wickedly and ran a hand back through his messy red hair, completely aware of how his presence unnerved her.

Frowning, Abby tried to keep her composure. "What are you doing here?"

Mephistopheles grinned. "Still spunky as always, aren't you Abigail? Why else would I be here? I came to speak with your _masters_."

If she had been alive, Abby would have bristled at the term. "They're busy. You should come back when they aren't."

Mephistopheles chuckled then and stepped further into the large foyer. "Oh no, no, no child. That's not how this works. I'm here _now_. So either you go and bring their asses down here or I will start something to get their attention." The man-who-wasn't-a-man watched the young ghost closely with a gleam in his eye. "What's it going to be Abigail?" he asked in a sing-song voice.

With a huff of frustration, Abby turned in the air and floated quickly up the stairs. For a second she briefly considered going to Kane's room instead of 'Taker's, but remembered that Undertaker was better able to handle Mephistopheles.

She turned the corner to head down the hallway to The Lord of Darkness' bedchamber. Once inside the room she hesitated. Abby could feel it, a huge increase in power and it was coming from the bathroom. Just as she was about to float into the bathroom, Undertaker stepped through the door, carrying a nude, unconscious Kaitlyn.

He glanced at the young ghost girl before taking Kaitlyn to the bed and placing her on it. After covering her with the blanket and making sure she was comfortable, he turned to give Abby his full attention.

"Yes. I know _he's_ downstairs. I'll go deal with him momentarily. But first…" 'Taker made a complicated hand gesture and a pair of black jeans and heavy black boots appeared on his previously naked form.

"I want to talk to you Abigail."

 _"_ _What is it with everyone saying my full name today!"_ thought Abby as she stared at The Lord of Darkness. His words hung in the air with all the potential of an incoming storm. But the look on his face… she couldn't place it.

At that moment Kaitlyn moaned in her sleep and turned onto her side before becoming still once more. Undertaker looked down at her and for the briefest moment Abby could see a flash of tenderness in 'Taker's gaze.

What the hell?

Looking back up, he met Abby's eyes, his face now hard and unreadable.

"Do you hate us that much?"

Abby frowned in confusion. "Excuse me?"

'Taker took a step towards her and repeated the question. "Do you hate us that much? That you'd do everything in your power to keep them from us? That you'd want the girls to suffer our separation? That you'd want Kane and I to be so weakened that we'd be completely ineffective and unable to defend ourselves in battle?"

His eyes narrowed as he remembered the condition the girls were in when he found them on Earth. "The Sickness had them Abigail. They were in _agony_! They were dying. Every breath was an explosion of pain, every movement, the same. I could feel how much they were suffering and in turn they brought misery to those closest to them."

Abby shifted then, growing more uncomfortable by the minute and her being flashing as if to advertise that fact. It sounded like The Lord of Darkness genuinely cared about the girls, or at the very least Kaitlyn.

How weird to find out that the monster in front of her had a heart after all.

It didn't change how she felt about him though.

"You're right," Abby said at last. "I do hate you. I hate you with every fiber of my being! I hate you for what you and Kane did to me. And for what I saw you doing to them. I didn't want them to have to spend eternity and beyond as your slaves, meant only to serve and pleasure you at your whim. I thought by helping them escape they'd do what needed to be done after spending time with their loved ones. I wanted them to have closure just as I did."

'Taker actually chuckled. "If you call having to spend eternity in this castle as a ghostly caretaker… Yeah I guess closure is the correct term." He walked to the door then, his boots thumping loudly on the stone floor.

"Abigail. No more do you understand? We have been careless when it comes to you and the freedom you've been given. But no more. You don't know just how fortunate you are that we were able to retrieve the girls before it was too late. That is all. You may keep her company until I return." With that said, Undertaker left the room, striding quickly down the hallway.

If Mephistopheles was here, then it had to mean he either didn't know that the girls were still alive or he simply didn't care. Either way, he likely had the contract with him and expected 'Taker and Kane to sign themselves into involuntary servitude for the next hundred years or so. At the top of the stairs he met up with Kane, who was dressed similarly in black jeans and boots. The masked man paused to look back over his shoulder in the direction of his room where AJ was.

"She'll be fine Kane," murmured Undertaker with a small smile tugging at his lips. "We deal with that jackass downstairs and you can get back to her."

Kane tugged on his glove in obvious agitation. _"How do we deal with him Brother?"_

Undertaker rolled his neck about his shoulders, popping it. "We let him know that we're our own entities, that this is our home and that we owe him _nothing_. And then we kick his ass back to Hell."

The Brothers of Destruction walked down the stone steps to the first floor where Mephistopheles waited. They found him near the door to the dungeon, standing incredibly still with his head cocked, listening.

When he saw them approaching, Mephistopheles stood up jerkily, smiling slyly.

"So," he said. "It seems like you have some new living guests in your dungeon."

"That's none of your concern," growled 'Taker. "What are you doing here on the Other Side?"

The man who was not a man laughed. "Oh you know why I'm here Undertaker." He snapped his fingers and a glowing parchment appeared in his hand. "Sign the contract and you can have the souls of your beloved beauties back."

Kane crossed his arms over his huge chest and Undertaker put fisted hands on his hips.

So he didn't know that the girls were alive.

Interesting.

"Kaitlyn and AJ live Mephistopheles," said 'Taker with a slight smirk. "And even if they weren't, we wouldn't be signing your fucking contract."

At that Mephistopheles flinched. He'd been so giddy at the prospect of siphoning souls and power from the brothers that he hadn't bothered to check for the girls' arrival at his realm. Now though, he took a moment to observe the brothers, to really look at them and feel them out.

_"_ _Ahhh…" he thought. "Their power has increased dramatically. Still… they are mine!"_

Forcing a chuckle, the redhead man raised his hands and shrugged. "Is that your final word on the matter?"

Kane nodded and Undertake responded out loud with, "Yeah, it is."

"Well I guess I'll be going then," mumbled Mephistopheles as he turned and began walking back towards the foyer. He heard the brothers walking behind him (clearly making sure he didn't get lost on the way) and his lips turned up into an evil smile.

Just as he neared the door he whirled around and in quick succession hurled bolt after bolt of flashing red lightning at Undertaker and Kane. The brothers lunged forward, attempting to dodge the attack.

There were screams in the air as all the nearby ghostly servants began flitting up high into the rafters, trying to avoid the blasts. A few of them had experienced something similar at the hands of 'Taker before and knew that those bolts of lightning could hurt.

Mephistopheles laughed maniacally as he continued hurling bolts at the brothers. Undertaker had just rolled to the left of the deranged redhead, hoping to distract him. It worked, and Kane took that opportunity to hurl a large fireball at Mephistopheles. He had no time to duck it and instead merely put his hands up, hoping to absorb the blast. The fireball hit him full force, exploding on contact. Mephistopheles couldn't help it, he screamed, truly surprised by the searing pain he was in.

He pulled his hands down away from his face and stared at his arms and chest. Everywhere the fireball had touched was a burned nightmare. His flesh was charred in some places, while sizzling and raw in others.

"You… you fucks!" he shrieked. "You're dead! Dead do you fucking hear me?! I will _destroy_ you!" He backed himself to the door, still screaming at the advancing Brothers of Destruction.

"And I won't stop there! Your precious Kaitlyn and AJ! They will be _mine_ for all eternity once I'm done with you! When this is over, you'll beg me, you'll plead with me to sign my goddamn contract, but it'll be much too late for that!" With one last growl Mephistopheles flung open the door and stalked through it before disappearing.

Undertaker shook himself in an attempt to wring out the nervous energy and the last of the adrenaline. Turning to his brother his face was grim. "He's never attacked us like this before. What the hell was he thinking? We have just cause to go to war now."

Kane tugged on his glove. _"This was a test Brother. He wanted to see how much stronger we are since the girls are still alive. He has an idea and now he will plan accordingly."_ Looking down at Undertaker, Kane saw that he had a wound on his shoulder. _"Seems as if one of his strikes grazed you Brother."_

'Taker glanced at his shoulder, spying the still smoking burn there. He rolled his eyes. "I barely felt it. Shouldn't take much time to heal."

Undertaker then turned his attention to all their ghost servants who were still floating up among the rafters. "Get down here, all of you! It's over now and Mephistopheles has gone back to his realm. Now get back to work!"

The ghosts all did as they were told and began straightening up once more, only now it was to clean up all evidence of the fight that had just taken place. Seeing that order was restored once more, The Brothers of Destruction went back upstairs and to their separate bedrooms.

When Kane stepped inside his bedchamber he saw that AJ hadn't moved at all in the time he'd been gone. Quickly he disrobed and climbed into bed, lying next to her but not touching. For the time being he was content to just watch her sleep.

However, when Undertaker reached his room, after he sent Abby on her way, he got into bed and pulled Kaitlyn's body to him. She too, had remained asleep during the melee that had occurred downstairs. The two-toned girl snuggled against him, sighing softly. Light blue electricity crackled and flowed between them wherever their skin touched.

The Lord of Darkness smiled.

Mephistopheles just didn't know what they had here.


	18. Wake Up Or Break Up

Dolph lay on the uncomfortable bed, staring up at the ceiling waiting his turn to get patched up. Big E was in the bathroom with Bray whom was cleaning his wounds with some supplies he'd picked up at a pharmacy outside of town. They were holed up in a rather cheap, seedy motel twenty miles outside of town.

What a fucking day.

Hard to believe the morning started with being reunited with Kaitlyn. Even more unbelievable was that they'd made love for the very first time. It was everything Dolph could have wished for. And then… the nightmare had started.

He could still hear Kaitlyn's cries of pain from when she fell ill. He could still see the look of horror on her face as her father expressed his sick desire for her. And the fear… the fear she felt when that otherworldly asshole came to take her back to the Other Side was in the way that she tightly gripped his arm.

When Dolph watched that man, that thing, chuck a ball of lightning at Kaitlyn's father, killing him...

How could he compete with power like that?

 _"_ _Jesus… I'm only human… I didn't know what we were up against before. I definitely know now. What can I do… What can_ we _do against power like that?"_

A low grunt made Dolph turn and look towards the bathroom. He watched as Bray Wyatt helped his best friend walk to the other twin bed. Big E looked a mess. There were bandages and gauze in several places on his massive chest and his arms, presumably from burns caused by skin to skin contact with AJ. And of course his midsection was completely wrapped and taped up so as not to tear the stab wound on his left side, which luckily hadn't damaged any internal organs. Bray had stitched it up himself, his medical knowledge surprising both of the teens.

When they reached the bed, he helped Big E to recline on the musty comforter before handing him a couple of aspirin and a bottle of water. Ettore swallowed the pills down with the liquid, afterwards giving Bray a small smile of thanks before lying back down and closing his eyes.

After Bray was sure that Ettore was going to stay put and relax he gestured to Dolph.

"Come. Let's get you taken care of."

Dolph rose from the bed slowly, his body feeling like one giant bruise. When Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins had jumped him, he had still tried his best, fighting like hell to keep Kaitlyn and AJ safe. In the end it hadn't been enough. Roman had tackled him through the kitchen table and Seth had leaped into the air, bringing his foot down hard onto Dolph's head. The show-off had actually blacked out for a period. It wasn't until Bray and his followers had arrived that he had regained consciousness.

Dolph groaned as he followed Bray into the bathroom, sitting on the sink when prompted.

"How are you feeling, Dolph?" The Wyatt family patriarch peered into his eyes, checking for dilation or a single blown pupil.

"Like shit, Bray," said the teen with a sigh. "I got my ass kicked and the girls are _still_ back on the Other Side with those fucking monsters."

"Young man… you did what you could. I do not believe that it could have gone… any differently." Bray opened up a bottle of iodine and soaked a cotton ball with it. "Because… because of Kaitlyn's love for you… AJ's love for Ettore… they are still alive."

Bray dabbed at Dolph's split cheek gingerly, but still the blonde cursed and swore under his breath at the sting. The bearded man repeated the process again with the wound to Dolph's temple and to his lip.

As Bray went to sew the teens cheek closed, he asked him, "What do you wish to do now? Do you still want to save your Kaitlyn?"

Without hesitating Dolph responded with, "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

At that Bray chuckled. "I'm just curious Dolph… Do you want to save her for her sake? Or do you wish to save her for your own?"

The blonde sat still while Wyatt sewed him up, but his questioning didn't sit well with him. "What do you mean? Are you saying I don't love Kaitlyn?"

"Not in the slightest dear boy." The bearded man actually sounded a bit offended. "I just want to make sure that you are fully committed to doing what needs to be done because life with The Brothers of Destruction is no life at all. You have to be ready to die for her because frankly, it may well come to that."

Dolph looked Bray squarely in the eye before he spoke, no longer even flinching as the needled pierced his skin.

"Listen, all I want is for to be free of all the shit that has been heaped on her, her entire life. Her father was sexually abusing her. The first night we met I asked her to come stay with me. I didn't give a damn about the consequences; I just wanted her to be safe, to _feel_ safe. And from that night on, every minute, ever _second_ was spent just trying to protect her.

I don't give a fuck about myself Bray. It's always been about Kaitlyn. Always."

Finishing the last stitch on his cheek, the Wyatt family patriarch actually smiled. "You are… truly selfless Dolph Ziggler. It is why I wanted… no… _still_ want you and Ettore to become part of our family. We could definitely benefit from young men such as yourselves."

Bray moved on to the wound at Dolph's temple that had already formed a large knot. Seeing that it didn't need to be stitched closed he just opted to bandage it instead.

"If we are able to retrieve your girls from the men who are not men, would you at least consider becoming part of our family? I'm more than certain Kaitlyn and AJ, whom are more than welcome to join as well, would not likely ever wish to be separated from their heroes, their saviors on pale horses."

In spite of himself the blonde actually laughed. "You never give up do you?"

Bray, too, chuckled. "Something we have in common, Dolph."

"I'll think about it, okay?" It was all Dolph could promise. But just remembering the service that he and Big E witnessed and how the people there revered the bearded man in front of him made him shake his head.

Bray nodded. "Good. You do that." After making sure the bandage was secure, he helped Dolph down from the edge of the sink. "Now, go rest. In the light of day, things will become much clearer. I promise you that."

Dolph nodded and walked slowly out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He went to the bed he had been lying on previously and was about to do so again when he spied the aspirin on the night stand. With a sigh he shook a couple out into his hand and used the rest of Big E's water to swallow them down in an attempt to tame the pain he was in.

Bray Wyatt had his first aid kit in hand as he left the bathroom, walking out just in time to see Dolph recline on the bed. He saw the young man close his eyes and it appeared that he was sleeping. But when his hand touched the doorknob to the room he heard,

"Bray?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. For everything."

Bray nodded, a small smile on his lips. "You are welcome Dolph. I couldn't just allow the darkness and destruction from the Other Side ruin your lives as it did mine so many years ago."

He heard Dolph make a sound of agreement. Then, "Hey Bray?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think _they_ wanted with The Hounds? Why did they pull them into the vortex with them?"

That question brought a thoughtful sigh from the man at the door. "I've been thinking about that Dolph. I'm not sure. But I'm afraid that whatever the reason won't be pleasant."

With that said Bray bid him a 'Good night' and left their motel room to go to the one next door he was sharing with Luke and Erick.

Dolph reached over and shut off the lamp on the night stand. He hoped that the darkness of the room could help him get to sleep. He was tired; exhausted really. But his mind was going a million miles a minute, replaying the entire last twenty-four hours.

What a fucking day.

_*On the Other Side*_

Dean's breath was coming fast as he strained to look around this pitch black section of the dungeon he was in. Right now he was nude, chained at his wrists and ankles spread-eagled to a large stone slab. The last thing he remembered before waking up in this precarious position was that asshole, The Undertaker walking up to the cell he and his friends were imprisoned in and saying a lot of words that sounded like gibberish. Simply hearing them had made all three of the teens pass out quickly.

Ambrose's eyes were wide and his pupils dilated, searching for the tiniest particle of light so he could see, but there was none. He opened his mouth to call out, to see if Roman and Seth were nearby but he hesitated, concerned that someone other than his friends would respond.

Suddenly though, the darkness melted away, replaced by the red-orange glow of several wall sconces being lit along with a fire pit in the center of the dungeon being lit as well.

As Dean's eyes got accustomed to the growing light he was finally able to take a look around. To his left he found that Seth was chained down in a similar fashion, his eyes wide and fearful. To the right was Roman, also chained down. His chest was rising and falling rapidly but he kept his eyes closed.

"Guys?" Seth whispered shakily. "What's going on?" He turned his head to meet Dean's blue eyes filled with uncertainty.

"I don't know man. Fuck I wish I did. How the hell did we end up here? Shit!"

In spite of the sweltering heat pressing down on them, Seth shivered. "I'm scared Dean. I'm fucking scared man." Then realizing he couldn't see Roman he called out, "Rome?"

Dean looked over to his right at the Samoan who flinched at the sound of his name but didn't respond.

"He's over here Seth. On the other side of me. He's alright."

Again Seth trembled, this time causing his shackles to clink loudly against the stone slab.

A deep rumbling laugh that echoed around the room caused all three teens stiffen.

"You boys comfortable?" asked Undertaker as he strode into view. He was dressed differently than before at Ziggler's house, wearing black leather pants, no shirt and black leather gloves. His brother Kane came in behind him wearing red and black leather pants but no gloves at all.

As if forgetting for the moment that he was in a compromising position, Dean growled at the sight of the Undertaker.

"Fuck you!" he spat.

Undertaker merely chuckled, coming to stand in between the slabs with Dean and Seth. He grinned before leaning over the blonde and grasping the bottom half of his face in his hand, squeezing tightly.

"You are a fool to try and tangle with me boy. And I would enjoy spending hours showing you just how wrong you are but, unfortunately, we just don't have the time." He shoved Dean's head to the side as he let him go, only for the teen to spit a wad of phlegm at him, landing on his bare chest.

To Dean's dismay, The Undertaker laughed. "Oh Ambrose… you never fail to amuse me. You will suffer for that because we're going to save you for last."

Kane whom had been standing in front of the fire pit in the center of the room bent down and thrust his hands into the flames. When he stood back up there was a large silver collar in his hands. It was still glowing at a few hundred degrees as The Devil's Favorite Demon walked it over to the slab where Seth was chained.

The smaller teen watched him approach, his quick breaths getting more and more shallow. Undertaker smirked as he positioned himself at Dean's head before grabbing his face and forcing him to watch what Kane was about to do. Ambrose struggled but it was no use.

At last Seth allowed a few tears to slip out the corners of his eyes.

"Please… Please man… Don't…"

Kane couldn't help but grin beneath his mask. He opened the still glowing silver collar and proceeded to lock it into place around Seth's neck. Before it even touched his flesh, Seth screamed. Just the steam coming off it was blistering the skin of his neck, but once it touched him, Seth's pain filled shrieks took on a higher, more intense quality. Dean could do nothing but watch as his friend screamed and yanked against his chains, the pain obviously unbearable.

"You fucker! Let him go! Let him THE FUCK GO!" yelled Dean as he too, struggled against his chains.

On the other side of him Roman held absolutely still and said nothing. He had never heard tough as nails Seth sound remotely like that before. He reminded Roman of the girls they used to kidnap and terrify before using them repeatedly and then killing them. Tears leaked out the corners of his closed eyes as he listened to his friend's cries echo throughout the room.

_"_ _We deserve this."_

"You see," said 'Taker as he leaned down close to Ambrose's ear. "That silver collar is spelled. He should be dead. I'm sure he wishes he were. But that collar will make it so he survives what happens next."

After the collar was in place, Kane stepped back so that he was at Seth's chest as it rose and fell rapidly. He'd finally stopped screaming, but once he saw Kane pull a silver dagger out of thin air, he whimpered. He tried to beg, to plead, but couldn't find the words, the strength to do so.

The Devil's Favorite Demon took the dagger and brought it down hard on Seth's sternum, making sure to get through the bone of the breast plate.

Seth gasped before his shrieking renewed as Dean trembled under 'Taker's unyielding hand whispering, "Fuck no…"

Kane slowly dragged the blade down between Seth's ribs, the boy's piteous screams as he watched him carve into his own body, music to his ears. Once he reached Rollins' groin he stopped and yanked the blade loose and set it aside. Then, at the split he'd created, Kane used his hands to pry apart Seth's ribs. The teen's terror and screams reached new heights as The Devil's Favorite Demon pulled open his chest cavity with a wet meaty snap. Kane plunged his hands inside and pulled out the still beating heart of Seth Rollins.

Once the red muscle was free from his chest, Seth went silent and still, but the heart in Kane's bloody hands continued to beat steadily.

Undertaker laughed low in his throat, amused by the silent tears of Roman Reigns while Dean had yet to shed any. Once again he leaned down near Ambrose's ear and whispered, "Magic. We're going to do this to all three of you. Then we're going to mold you, make you stronger, better, powerful. You'll be fit to exist here alongside my brother and I… as well as AJ and Kaitlyn."

Dean was allowed to turn his head then and he looked up to meet Undertaker's bright green eyes, his own blue ones impossibly cold.

"Fucking do it then."


	19. We Never Say Die

AJ yawned and rolled over onto her side as she awoke. She wasn't surprised to see Kane lying next to her in bed. He'd been doing it ever since he retrieved her from Dolph's house two weeks ago. And surprisingly, AJ found that she didn't really mind his presence. Aside from a few oddly gentle caresses, Kane hadn't tried to force himself on her. And even stranger still, he didn't try to punish her for her escape attempt.

It was as if nothing had changed since the binding ceremony.

After Kane helped her heal and replenish her power, they'd spent most of the past two weeks in companionable silence. When he wasn't in the dungeon with 'Taker, Kane stayed close to AJ, tending to her when needed, or sometimes, even when she didn't.

This doting by him was strange to AJ when compared with how brutal and unforgiving Kane was when she and Kaitlyn first arrived on the Other Side. And though she missed Big E terribly, she found that she was appreciative of Kane's gentleness with her. It made the constant ache in her heart more bearable.

And now as AJ brushed some errant strands of hair away from her face she continued to observe him, silently noting that it was the second morning in a row that she'd seen him without his mask. His gaze was intense as he stared at her. But for whatever reason, AJ was not uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

Kane watched her watching him, amused. AJ never ceased trying to figure him out and it pleased him that she would even continue to try, especially after all this time. Smirking he reached out and pressed the pad of his thumb to her plump bottom lip.

Startled, AJ froze. She waited to see what he would do next. Not afraid exactly, but not quite happy about it either.

Kane thought seriously about taking things further, about what it would feel like to have that thick digit in her mouth and then what he might replace it with. But no, now wasn't the time. AJ and her friend had an ordeal they needed to handle today. He needed to make sure she was focused or she might end up hurt.

Resigned, he pulled his hand back away from her face and instead, dropped it at his side.

_"_ _Do not worry little one. You're safe from me today. But only me."_

That little add in wasn't lost on AJ and her mouth turned down quickly in a small frown. "What do you mean? What's going to happen today?"

_"_ _A test, of sorts."_

At that the girl actually looked a little excited. "You mean I… I mean Kaitlyn and I, we finally get to use our powers?"

Kane nodded. _"Yes. 'Taker and I will give you both basic instruction, but ultimately it will be up to you."_

AJ bit her lip, looking thoughtful. "So… like the Valley then? We have to do the whole 'sink or swim' bit again?" Her face became petulant in the blink of an eye. "Kaaannneee…. I really don't want to do that again."

Was she… whining at him? Kane was taken aback by her attitude but that only lasted a moment. He could feel himself getting hard as he remembered her performance in the Valley. She had been like a beautiful, petite and vengeful Amazon once she blacked out, shredding every Other Side creature she crossed paths with. She had been utterly ruthless and it was a glorious thing to witness.

Kane growled low in his throat at the memory. When she succeeded at passing the test he and 'Taker had set up for the girls today (and Kane had no doubt that she would succeed), he was going to take her. Whether she wanted it or not.

**K**

Kaitlyn sat up slowly, unsurprised to find that she was alone in bed. For the past two weeks she often woke up alone or just as Undertaker finished dressing, the Lord of Darkness barely sparing her a glance before he left the bedroom to start the day.

He was being rather cold towards her. A marked difference when compared with his behavior before she and AJ escaped the Other Side. And oddly enough, Kaitlyn found herself missing the Undertaker's intense affections. She tried to tell herself that it was just because she missed Dolph but in reality it was more than that.

Those kind of thoughts were dangerous though and Kaitlyn did her best to squash them every time they arose. But then she would see Kane hovering around AJ in such a way that seemed to suggest The Devil's Favorite Demon either _didn't_ want to or _couldn't_ stay away from her friend. The sight of them together only emphasized how bereft Kaitlyn felt from the Undertaker.

She didn't like feeling like she disappointed him. But it wasn't like she asked for this! He manipulated, coerced and forced her into coming to the Other Side. He terrorized her. He ripped whatever future she could have had with Dolph right out from under her. He stole her life!

Why should she feel bad about disappointing him? Why should she care?

But the truth of the matter was… she did.

And Kaitlyn hated it.

"What do I do?" she whispered aloud in the empty room. "Can I fix this? _Should_ I?" Sighing she ran a hand through her unruly two-toned hair. Of course there was no answer so she decided to get up and find AJ so they could eat breakfast together. And perhaps discuss why she felt so shitty about betraying The Lord of Darkness.

After throwing on a pair of jeans and a tank top she left the bedchamber and headed down the long hallway to the stairs. As she made her way down the stone steps, she noticed that the ghost servants were nowhere to be found. That was strange, especially since they typically spent their days cleaning and straightening up the castle.

Once she entered the dining hall she discovered that's where all the ghost servants had disappeared to. All of them seemed to be hovering along the stone walls, including Mr. Lee and Abby.

Kaitlyn frowned when she spied the ghost girl. Abby was another person in this castle that seemed to be disappointed in her. When Kaitlyn had finally regained consciousness two weeks ago, Abby had been right there by her side, grilling her with numerous questions.

_"_ _What happened?"_

_"_ _Why didn't you do what I told you?"_

_"_ _Why 'cause your loved ones so much unnecessary pain?"_

It was an awkward (to say the least) conversation to have. And reliving the entire ordeal from suffering through the Sickness, to being confronted by The Hounds and her father, to being retrieved and subsequently being saved from death by Undertaker and Kane; it was just horrific. And to make matters worse, it was as if Abby placed all the blame on Kaitlyn's shoulders. Especially after hearing about the brutal beating both Ettore and Dolph received and that her own brother Bray had shown up to help them fight.

_"_ _I expected you to follow through," said Abby shaking her head. "AJ's brash and impulsive. But as the more level headed of you two, I thought you understood what was at stake. I thought you could do what needed to be done. But I guess I was wrong." The ghost girl hung her head and sighed._

_"_ _So many lives negatively impacted by your selfishness Kaitlyn…"_

Sighing, the two-toned girl shook herself out of that reverie and looked up to spot her best friend across the dining hall. And she was by herself. Kaitlyn grinned at AJ, happy that for once, she didn't have to watch Kane hovering over her like an overprotective monster of a boyfriend.

"Morning sis!" exclaimed Kaitlyn when she reached her. AJ pulled Kaitlyn to her for a tight hug before talking animatedly at her.

Unable to understand a word the brunette said, Kaitlyn grabbed AJ by the upper arms and shook her. "Hold it! Slow down sis, and start from the beginning."

AJ took a deep breath and said, "We're going to learn how to use our power today!"

Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is that what Kane said?"

"Yep! Aren't you excited?"

"Not as much as you are," said Kaitlyn with a laugh.

The girls sat down next to each other and continued talking about the "test" and whether or not it would be too much to handle so soon after nearly dying a couple weeks ago. While they were still conversing, two ghost servants came from the kitchen and set several serving dishes and plates down in front of them, each filled with their favorite foods and of course, the Other Side fruit. Immediately AJ and Kaitlyn started piling their plates high and began eating.

AJ turned to Kaitlyn after a few moments, her cheeks bulging with food. Since her mouth was full it sounded like "Moo oof meef Biff E man Molph gar ofay?" But having been best friends for years Kaitlyn's brain automatically translated that as: "Do you think Big E and Dolph are okay?"

Despite herself Kaitlyn felt her insides twist at the question. AJ asked her this every day but it distressed her every time. "I'm sure they're doing better now."

"I bet Bray took care of them, He seemed like that kind of guy," said AJ after finally chewing and swallowing what was in her mouth. "Do you think they're going to try and come for us? They said they were about to when we showed back up."

That was another question that AJ asked her every morning. Kaitlyn felt her stomach churn uncomfortably and she had to put down the fork for a second. She turned so that she could look AJ in the eye.

"I hope not."

For several minutes both girls sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. AJ was remembering her last moments with Ettore. Bleeding and battered and still doing all he could to protect her. How crushed he looked when she left his side to plead with Kane for his life… It still hurt to think about. She hated having to do it, but AJ knew that it was the right decision.

Kaitlyn could still hear Dolph begging her not to go. It had pained her greatly to walk away from him the way she did. But it kept Undertaker from hurting him, something he likely would have done just to punish her for escaping.

Slowly the girls resumed eating, although neither of them really felt like it anymore. Undertaker had told them after the binding ceremony that they would need to eat more and so far that appeared to be true. As they finished up what was in front of them, they heard the heavy footsteps of The Brothers of Destruction approaching.

All of the ghost servants except Abby bowed their heads low in greeting. Kane and Undertaker paid them no mind though and headed straight for the girls whom pushed their plates away as they watched them approach.

Undertaker stopped and stood next to his brother with fisted hands on his hips. He saw that Kaitlyn was eyeing him warily and he almost smiled. It was apparent that his attitude towards her was affecting her and her discomfort seemed to be growing every day as a result. His indifference was intentional as he felt she needed to learn that his cruelty could extend beyond the physical. She needed to know that he'd been kind to her, pleasured her, not because he had to but because he wanted to.

But this distance he was keeping, it was hard.

It was hard sleeping beside her every night, fighting his desire to run his fingers along her body, coaxing electricity with each touch. It was difficult to ignore his desire to taste her and make her cum. And it was downright torturous to deny his body the pleasure of plunging into hers over and over again.

'Taker often found himself wondering who was _really_ being punished here.

Realizing he'd been standing silently for quite some time he cleared his throat. "We're going down to the dungeon today," he said. "Kane and I will show you the basics of how to use your power and then you will put what you've learned into practice. Any questions?"

Kaitlyn had a million questions but like AJ she merely stared at them and said nothing. It was better that way.

Undertaker nodded and motioned for the girls to follow them. Kane brought up the rear and noticed that most of the ghost servants appeared worried. He smiled beneath his mask. They were concerned they might not see either of the girls again. It was rather ridiculous to be honest.

Mr. Lee was hovering nearest the door and his being flashed. He had a pretty good idea what was about to happen and it made him fear for his daughter. AJ was resourceful and resilient, so much like himself in fact, but he hoped that she didn't have a similar breaking point as he did. As if realizing she was among his thoughts, AJ spared him a glance and a small smile on the way out. It was the first time she looked at him with something other than disgust or disdain since first arriving at the castle. Mr. Lee returned her smile with one of his own and a whispered,

"Be careful baby."

It was strange walking down into the bowels of the castle with the Brothers of Destruction. Though it was difficult, AJ gripped Kaitlyn's hand tightly as they walked down the steep winding stone staircase. When they finally reached the bottom both girls let out a sigh of relief. The heat wasn't as overwhelming as their first time in the dungeon but the sight of all the souls encaged and being drained of energy while they screamed in pain was still just as horrifying.

AJ started to shut her eyes but then she heard Kane's voice in her head.

_"_ _Do not turn away from them. Look at them and see where some of your power lies."_

At that AJ's eyes popped open and she looked back at Kane over her shoulder. He nodded slightly at her and she turned around slowly, her mouth agape, appalled. She wasn't really given time to react over that new information as they were continuing to move forward beyond the cells.

Finally they reached another familiar part of the dungeon; the cells where the Other Side creatures were being held. Somehow the girls were better able to relax here, amongst the deadly creatures than when they were witnessing the souls being siphoned for their energy. The pit serpent hissed viciously at them when they entered, clearly remembering being stabbed by them before.

The pit serpent's reaction to the girls didn't go unnoticed by Undertaker or Kane. While the pit serpent was the slowest of the Other Side creatures it was also the most deadly. Once it sank it's fangs into you… that was it.

Kane smirked beneath his mask. _"We've chosen well,"_ he thought to himself.

'Taker led the way to the cell that housed the dragon. The beast shifted on its huge clawed feet at their approach, plumes of smoke drifting upwards out of its nostrils. Sensing the dragon's animosity, he lifted up a hand in warning as he opened the cell door. Automatically the dragon moved to the far corner of the cell, bobbing its head while its tail thrashed in agitation. Pleased that the beast was obeying him he turned to motion Kaitlyn and AJ forward.

"We're going to go through that door, at the back of the cell. Just keep moving forward, don't give it any eye contact or it's likely he will see it as a challenge. And fighting off a dragon just isn't part of your test today."

Behind him the girls murmured in response and he went ahead and opened the door at the back of the cell. He peered inside and once he was satisfied that the coast was clear he turned around to wave the girls over. What he saw though, stopped him cold. Both AJ and Kaitlyn were now standing directly in front of the dragon, close enough that even he wouldn't be able to save them if things went south. However the beast was calm. It tilted its head to the right and to the left as if unsure of what to make of the two human girls.

Kaitlyn smiled; her face bright and in awe of the magnificent creature. "He's so beautiful."

AJ hummed in agreement and took another step forward. "What's his name?"

Kane and 'Taker looked at each other, perplexed. The dragon had been nothing but aggressive with them since it was given to them. What was going on here?

Kane cocked his head to the side, turning his attention back to AJ. _"He doesn't have a name little one."_

AJ turned around to look at him. "Oh! Can we name him? Please?"

Before Kane could answer her the dragon dipped its head down and pushed its beaked nose into AJ's back between her shoulder blades, nudging her forward a step. AJ let out a squeak of surprise before turning back around to face the creature. Kaitlyn laughed and began patting the top of its head, taking care to avoid the horns. AJ giggled and started to pet him as well. The dragon closed its eyes and a continuous low growl was heard. Was the dragon… _purring_?

For a moment the Brothers of Destruction just watched the girls coo over and pet the creature whom by all accounts appeared to be enjoying all the attention.

_"_ _Can you believe this? 'Taker asked Kane in his mind._

_Kane nodded. "They reached the creature when we could not. I think we should give it to them. Let them train it, bond with it."_

_Undertaker raised an eyebrow at that. "The girls are already oozing power and Other Side magic as it is. I'm not sure it would be wise to give them control over this creature when we don't even know the extent of its own power yet!"_

_Kane smirked beneath his mask. "Brother, we should allow them this. As you once told me, human females need more 'finessing' and I'm sure giving them a 'pet' as it were would make them a bit more agreeable to being here."_

_"_ _Fine!" growled 'Taker, all but throwing his hands up. His annoyance at Kane throwing his own words back at him was more than obvious. "If they manage to pass this test, that dragon will be their reward."_

Both men turned their attention back to the girls. The dragon was still purring but had moved closer to AJ and Kaitlyn so he could better receive their pats. And the girls were happy to oblige him, petting not just his head but his long muscular neck as well. Undertaker cleared his throat and the teens reluctantly stopped what they were doing and at seeing the expectant look on his face followed him to the door with Kane bringing up the rear. The dragon made as if to follow them but seemed to realize its immense body wouldn't fit through the door. It sat back on its haunches instead and blew out a huge puff of smoke as the door shut behind them.

"Wow…" breathed Kaitlyn as she took in their new surroundings.

"Wow is right," agreed AJ, looking around as well. "This is amazing!"

The space beyond the cells was nothing like anything they'd seen on the Other Side thus far. They were now in a massive underground cavern. But it wasn't so much like a cave in that there was some Other Side plant life throughout and the ceiling was so high above them that it couldn't be seen.

The girls continued to study their surroundings as they followed Undertaker deeper into the cavern until they hit a clearing of sorts. There he stopped and turned to face them.

"Today Kane and I will show you both how to focus your energy and power and how to perform basic attacks. Afterwards, you will show us what you've learned."

Suddenly nervous, Kaitlyn wiped her damp palms on her jeans before nodding. Beside her though, AJ was excited, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Kane stood next to his brother, hands on his hips as he chuckled low at AJ's eagerness. Undertaker put fisted hands on his hips.

 _"_ _This is going to be interesting,"_ he thought.

Out loud he said, "First I want you both to relax. Take several deep breaths in through your nose and out your mouth. Close your eyes as your doing that and feel our power, now yours, within you."

The Brothers of Destruction watched as the girls did as they were told. They knew the girls were successful when they heard twin gasps of surprise.

"Now," continued 'Taker. "Ball your fists and focus that power into your hands. Feel it become more tangible, growing hot and cold between your fingers. What do you see there?"

AJ was the first to open her hands and when she saw the midsize flame dancing above her palms she couldn't stop the shriek of excitement.

Kaitlyn followed her best friend's lead and uncurled her fists to see golden black electricity crackling in her open palms.

Undertaker nodded in approval. "Good. Good. Now take that power and throw it. Like a pitch in your softball games from several years ago."

Kaitlyn frowned at that, somehow having forgotten that the Brothers of Destruction had been spying on them nearly all their lives. AJ chose to ignore it though and did just as Undertaker had instructed, hurling an impressive fireball at a nearby stalagmite, exploding it on contact. AJ squealed and clapped her hands together, truly excited about what she'd done. Refusing to let herself be outdone, Kaitlyn followed suit and sent a lightning ball crashing into a nearby boulder that shattered on impact.

"Oh my god!" cried Kaitlyn covering her mouth with her hands.

"I know!" laughed AJ. "Again! Again!"

This time, without anymore instruction the girls began destroying nearly everything in sight within the immediate area. And the whole time Undertaker and Kane merely watched both men incredibly proud of them. Although they knew the girls were fast learners, neither expected AJ and Kaitlyn to take to using their power as quickly as this. They let the girls have their fun for a few minutes more before stopping them.

"You both did very well," said 'Taker. "And now it's time for you to apply what you've learned. Don't forget about all the training Lee had you do before you arrived at the castle. Everything you've learned will be needed to stay alive and defeat your enemy. Pass this test and the dragon is yours."

AJ clapped her hands and giggled more, obviously still excited but Kaitlyn was leery.

"What's the test?" she asked.

Undertaker put the tip of two fingers in his mouth and let loose with a whistle so loud it echoed throughout the cavern. After a moment they heard the thudding of heavy footfalls approaching. AJ stopped giggling abruptly, looking more and more concerned as the footsteps drew near. Like in the deserted Other Side town, she and Kaitlyn shifted so that they were back to back, attempting to ready themselves for attack. But what they saw step from around several boulders made them shrink back in fear.

"Holy… shit…" whispered Kaitlyn. She felt AJ tremble against her as they stared at the monstrosity in front of them.

It was a giant. At least 8 feet tall and thickly muscular with crisscrossing scars and still healing stitches holding together large sections of its body. Its obscenely large thick genitalia hung between its huge muscular thighs. The chest was broad and wide with a strange symbol branded in the center of it. It had four large arms. Of the top pair the right fist was slamming into the open palm of the left hand, indicating it was ready for a fight; while the bottom pair hung at the sides of its massive body, vibrating with nervous energy, hands twitching.

But the most disturbing thing of all was what rested on the giant's massive shoulders. It had three heads and each of those heads belonged to a member of the Hounds. Roman's head was on the right, tilted to the side as he observed the girls in front of them with an odd look they couldn't identify. On the left was Seth's head and he grinned before making a kissy face at the girls. In the center, was Dean's head, whom even in this state, still appeared to be the leader. His blue eyes flashed as he zeroed in on AJ and he smirked at her.

"Hiya Doll."

There was a scream bubbling up in her throat but AJ fought to keep it down. She couldn't black out, not now, not when Kaitlyn needed her. She glanced over her shoulder, perhaps to yell at Kane and Undertaker but to her dismay both of them had disappeared.

Amused at their fear the Hounds took another booming step forward. Even though they were still a couple feet away they were now within reach of the girls.

Kaitlyn couldn't decide if she was more disgusted, horrified or if she pitied them. The Undertaker and Kane had turned these three terrors from Earth into some sort of Frankenstein monster and now apparently expected them to take it (Him? Them?) out?

This was insane.

Dean stared at AJ, the longing he always felt for her magnified now that she was in front of him. As he stared into her wide terror filled eyes, he wanted to laugh.

 _"_ _The more things change, the more they stay the same," he thought with a chuckle._ He waited, wanting to hear her voice high and breathy with fear like he had in the past. But instead the girls just stared at them silently. When it became clear that neither she nor Kaitlyn was going to speak first, he decided to.

"This shit," he said gesturing with towards their giant body with two of the four hands, "it hurt. It hurt a fucking lot. But we've had time to get used to it. And you know what?" He put a hand up to his mouth as if to whisper conspiratorially, "We like it."

"Hey now," interrupted Seth, the look on his face almost gleeful. "Those two assholes said if we catch you. We get to have you… any… way… we… want."

That was news to the girls and the surprise on their faces emphasized that fact. And as terrifying as that bit of information was, Kaitlyn was more worried about AJ than herself. If they touched her, that would be it, AJ would black out. The question was would she be able to handle them in that state?

Deciding it wasn't worth the risk Kaitlyn took a step back and forced AJ to follow her. Near her ear she whispered, "Okay, on the count of three, we blow their heads off. Okay?"

AJ nodded and they changed their stance so that they were facing the Hounds, with their hands balled into fists at their sides.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

Suddenly the girls let loose with simultaneous blasts of lightning and fireballs, hurling them up at the faces of the Hounds. The giant stumbled backwards as all three of its heads began howling and yelling in pain. Abruptly it turned and sprinted, dodging behind a large boulder a hundred yards away.

Kaitlyn brought her arms down at her sides and AJ did the same.

"Shit! How can something so big be so damn fast?" asked the two-toned girl.

AJ shook her head. "I don't know." Then thinking a moment she asked, "Are we supposed to kill it? I mean them?"

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Killing gets my vote whether we're supposed to or not. They were terrible back and home and they're worse here because now they have power."

"True… and you know what I think? I don't think Kane and Undertaker would have put us up against them if they didn't think we couldn't beat them."

Kaitlyn thought about that for a second. "I suppose you're right." She glanced towards the boulder that the Hounds had jumped behind. "Come on. Let's finish this."

The two made their way to the area where they suspected the Hounds were still hiding. Kaitlyn pointed to the right of it and AJ followed her lead and headed in that direction. Kaitlyn went left and had her hand up and ready, golden black electricity crackling around her fist. Slowly they walked around to the back of the boulder and found… nothing. Alarmed both girls began looking around the area frantically and still seeing no sign where they'd gone.

"Shit! Shit!" Kaitlyn stalked around in a wide circle, anxious and afraid. "Where did they go?!"

AJ shook her head. "I don't know! I don't know! What do we do now?"

Kaitlyn wasn't given time to answer because a large rock came hurtling from somewhere headed straight for her head. She barely flung the ball of lightning up at it in time, shattering it before it reached her. Still, the debris from it alone was dangerous and a piece of it embedded itself in her thigh like shrapnel. The two-toned girl cried out and fell to the ground clutching her thigh. The other side fruit could do nothing about this. The chunk of rock had to be removed first.

AJ tried to come for her, to help her but Kaitlyn started waving her back.

"No! Run AJ! Run! They're coming!"

The brunette had barely turned her back when something heavy slammed into her. The impact sent her flying and she landed hard on her hip and shoulder. Groaning she tried to sit up but her head was swimming and she was moving too slowly. Suddenly the giant body of the Hounds was hovering over her on their hands and knees.

"Gotcha Doll." The look he was giving her was frightening as he smiled down at her. His face though, was a bloody and burned nightmare from being hit with so much fire and lightning.

Seth was laughing to himself and Roman oddly enough appeared to be uncomfortable but didn't say a word. Their giant body leaned down close to AJ's face and she tried to wriggle away. Two of their arms grabbed her by the hips to hold her in place while the other two arms went to work at stripping off her clothes.

Just as she felt their hands on her bare flesh… AJ blacked out.

When she came to, several things happened at once. The Hounds whole giant body was ablaze, howling and running away from both her and Kaitlyn whom was now right next to her on the ground. The Undertaker and Kane appeared a few feet away in a swirl of black mist. And a loud booming crash sounded near the entrance of this massive cavern.

"Kaitlyn?" AJ's voice was shaky and she felt cold all over despite the near oppressive heat.

"I'm here sis, I'm here." Blood was still trickling from the wound in her thigh but otherwise she appeared no worse for the wear.

'Taker and Kane began walking to the girls but before they could reach them, the beating of leathery wings sounded overhead. Everyone looked up to see the dragon soaring above them until it landed directly in front of the girls, seemingly ignoring the Brothers of Destruction all together.

The creature leaned its head down to both Kaitlyn and AJ, its large blue slit eyes blinking slowly. Somehow understanding that the dragon wanted to help the girls grabbed hold of its neck and allowed it to help them to their feet. Once standing, the dragon brought its wings down and wrapped them around the girls both bringing them closer and also warding off any potential attacks.

'Taker turned and gave Kane an incredulous look.

"I can see this is going to be a problem."

This time Kane agreed. How were they going to deal with an overprotective and destructive force that was a one ton dragon?


	20. The Scale Will Tip

At the moment Undertaker was in the bathroom with a half dressed Kaitlyn, tending to the wound she sustained during the 'test'. She was sitting on the counter in her panties and t-shirt, gritting her teeth against the pain. He had to use a pair of tweezers to pluck the piece of rock from her thigh. Currently in between hissing and cursing she was also completely flabbergasted with what the Lord of Darkness was telling her.

"What do you mean the Hounds are not dead?"

'Taker smirked at the perplexity in her voice and on her face. "Just what I said Kaitlyn. They aren't dead."

The two-toned girl frowned hard and then winced as he twisted the tweezers just a bit. "I'm not sure you saw the same thing I saw. AJ lit them up! They were literally engulfed in flames. How could anything or anyone survive that?"

Just then Undertaker successfully grasped the chunk of rock. "Ah! Got it!" He slowly and carefully maneuvered the piece free but nevertheless it was still painful for the teen. He dropped it into the trash and placed his palm over the now bleeding wound in her thigh.

Kaitlyn began to feel a strange warming sensation that seemed to come from underneath 'Taker's palm. Her wound tingled a bit and the pain began to dissipate. Eyes wide, she stared up into his face, shocked that he was healing her like this.

"I'm not saying they _can't_ be killed," he continued as his gaze drifted downward. Despite himself Undertaker couldn't help following the curves of her body with his eyes. "Kane and I removed their hearts and they're in jars, sealed with magick, hidden in the dungeon. As long as their hearts are still in one piece, they'll live."

Frowning, the teen exclaimed, "But they were screaming in pain as they ran away! I've never heard anything like it!"

'Taker shrugged. "That's because their nerve endings are more or less intact. So of course being aflame is going to hurt like a sonofabitch. But in a few hours time they'll be completely healed. And tomorrow we're all going to sit together and discuss a few things."

"Like?"

"Well, now that Kane and I know you two can handle yourselves, the Hounds will be free to roam the castle grounds. When we aren't around it will be their job to help protect you. War is coming Kaitlyn and we want you and AJ to be as safe as you can be if we're not here."

Kaitlyn blinked slowly at this new information. She had so many questions and she intended to ask but his hand on her thigh… The teen figured her wound was healed by now but she could still feel little tingles prickling against her skin. She looked down at his large hand resting against her bare thigh and felt… something. For some reason her mouth just went totally dry and she looked up suddenly, meeting his impossibly green eyes. There was something there, in his gaze that made Kaitlyn catch her breath.

Undertaker found that he couldn't help himself and his hand ever so slowly inched its way up her thigh. He drew small prickling lines of electricity along the way and the teen shivered under his touch.

Trying to bring herself back to the present, Kaitlyn's brain scrambled to remember the question she had for the man-who-was-not a-man before her. But she couldn't. Her mind went completely and utterly blank the second his fingertips were at the edge of her pantyline. There was a growing wetness at the juncture of her thighs and she froze, too surprised at her body's reaction to be embarrassed.

'Taker could smell her arousal and growled low in his throat. It was over. How could he continue to hold back when it was more than obvious that she wanted him too? Decision made, he ghosted his hand over the crotch of her underwear, pleased at both her gasp and the dampness he felt there. He looked up and saw that she was watching him intently from under heavy lids, her breath coming faster. Undertaker gave her a wicked grin before deftly ripping her panties away.

Kaitlyn made a sound cross between a moan and curse as the fabric bit into her flesh sharply before tearing. She watched as he brought the obliterated cotton garment to his nose and inhaled deeply, then tossed it to the floor. 'Taker gave Kaitlyn direct eye contact as he spread her thighs wide. Just the sight of her glistening sex had him licking his lips in anticipation.

When his lips first touched her folds, Kaitlyn's eyes slammed shut and had he not been holding her thighs open, they would have closed as well. 'Taker started slowly at first, licking up one side and down the other. Then, with long languorous licks he worked his way inside, finding her engorged nub with his lips and tugging lightly with his teeth. Kaitlyn moaned under this sensual assault and she longed to grab his head, to grind against his face but she currently had a death grip on the edges of the counter.

Thrilled that she was so willing and so receptive, 'Taker took his middle finger and worked it inside of her while simultaneously flicking his tongue against her clit. She was trembling now and 'Taker knew she was on the verge. He turned his hand so that his palm was facing up and crooked his finger in the come hither motion while sending a pulse of electricity straight through her center.

The orgasm was so intense that Kaitlyn blacked out for a moment. When she came to, she was in Undertaker's arms as he stood in the bathroom. She looked up into his face groggily, surprised to see that it and the front of his shirt was wet. She could still feel her essence dribbling out from between her pussy lips as her body shook with tiny little aftershocks coming from her center and pooling outward. The back of her head throbbed dully and a look to the counter showed that the mirror above the sink was shattered. Slowly she turned her gaze back up to the man holding her. The smirk now on his face used to infuriate her but currently she didn't know what or how to feel.

Sensing her confusion he only chuckled. "I've never seen you cum so hard before babydoll." She flushed and he laughed while carrying her into the bedroom. He set her down on the bed and she could do nothing but lie there, still too weak to move.

Undertaker undressed, all the while his eyes never leaving hers. Once he was nude, of their own volition, her gaze drifted downward, lingering on his hard impressive length. He saw her watching him and didn't bother hiding his superior smirk. He merely climbed into bed with her, hovering above the teen on his hands and knees between her parted thighs. And when he pushed into her, he kept his eyes on her face, loving how the concentration on the sensation gave way to abandon the moment he began thrusting. With his face near her ear he began speaking lowly to her, never once breaking stride.

"It can always be like this between us Kaitlyn. Just give in to me… Let me in…"

Kaitlyn moaned loudly and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Please…"

"Please what babydoll?"

She moaned breathily again, this time wrapping her arms around his neck, forcing him to change position. He shifted so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed with Kaitlyn in his lap. He gripped her hips tightly, forcing her up and down his shaft, growling at the friction of her breasts against his chest.

"Please…" she said again.

'Taker groaned and little pulses of electricity began crackling wherever their skin touched. They were building to an incredible climax and the power circulating between them grew as their movements became more and more frantic.

"Tell me… tell me what you want Kaitlyn."

She sobbed, the need to cum overwhelming.

Sweet, sweet agony.

"I want you… to make me fly…"

Hearing that, from his core, the prickling heat of electricity flowed straight into Kaitlyn at the moment they came. She screamed, filled by the power overtaking her and the strength of her climax. Her pussy clamped down on his dick like a vice and her own power crackled around his embedded length, a happy surprise that heightened and prolonged his pleasure. Suddenly spent, he fell backwards onto the bed and felt a mix of his and her release soaking the sheets beneath them. Undertaker could hardly bring himself to care. He held her against his chest, listening to her breathing become deep and even as she drifted off. 'Taker finally had what he wanted all along. And that was for Kaitlyn to want him… just as much as he wanted her.

Back in Kane's bedchamber, AJ was fast asleep. The Devil's Favorite Demon was sitting in the armchair next to the window, just watching her sleep and reflecting over the day's events. He recalled the struggle to get the dragon to essentially release the girls to them. Despite her fright from the Hounds' attack, AJ had calmed the beast, coaxing it to unwrap its wings from around them. She and Kaitlyn had both promised through soothing words and gentle pats that they would see to it, first thing tomorrow. Reluctantly it released them, watching restlessly as the girls were carried out of the cavern by The Brothers of Destruction.

Kane had brought AJ up to their room soon afterwards. She seemed to sense what he wanted and climbed into his lap without being forced. It was she who had removed his mask and it was she whom initiated that first kiss. Kane quickly became the aggressor though, attacking her lips with his own, clutching her tightly to him as he did so. They shed their clothes quickly and before AJ knew what was happening he had her legs around his waist, slamming her back against the stone walls as he pushed up inside of her. She had cried out at his rough entry but it only fueled his desire for her more. Kane savagely fucked her against the wall and AJ could do nothing but take it. Steam rose from their pores and the room was filled with a sauna like heat. And when they came, it was violent, AJ clawing his back frantically while Kane smashed his lips against hers so hard she cut her lips on her own teeth.

Once it was over, he found himself being gentle with AJ once more. He had eased her off his softening member and placed her with great care into the bed. She had given him a tired smile, sated and appreciative before her eyes closed. Kane felt something deep inside him twist, a more intense sensation than the twinges he'd been feeling since the binding ceremony.

He'd been watching her ever since.

The beating of large wings drew Kane's attention to the window and he watched as the dragon circled the area before landing on a nearby spire of the castle. It folded its wings closed and stared in his general direction. Its tail lashed restlessly behind it and its head tilted to the side as if curious.

Kane was impressed. _"I see you found your way out of the cavern. You've bonded to the girls rather quickly. A missed opportunity for my brother and I but perhaps useful for Kaitlyn and AJ. Very useful in the upcoming days…"_

After a few moments the dragon tucked its head beneath a wing, gearing up for sleep.

As The Devil's Favorite Demon never slept, the nights were usually long for him. Something was different tonight though. The air felt strange, heavy somehow. A vortex was being formed on the Other Side. No… more than one. Several. And they were large, created with an extraordinary amount of energy.

Alarmed, Kane called out to Undertaker with his mind.

_"_ _Brother!"_

_"_ _I'm aware Kane. I feel it too."_

_"_ _Mephistopheles… he's bringing hundreds of his slaves and minions. Maybe more. The girls are not ready!"_

_"_ _They are. They have to be."_

_"_ _What should we do? Should we wake them?"_

_Undertaker paused in his response to look down at the sleeping beauty beside him. "No. We'll let them sleep. It'll take Mephistopheles a day at least to fully enter our realm. If I'm wrong or if worse comes to worst, we can send the girls to Earth while we take him down."_

_Kane physically shook his head at that last suggestion. "No. The girls fell ill with The Sickness entirely too fast before. We can't risk sending them back."_

_'_ _Taker nodded in agreement. "Then they'll have to fight alongside us. We've prepared them as much as we can. And with the Hounds help and their new pet dragon, I'm confident Mephistopheles will regret he ever challenged us."_


	21. Versus

"Shh-iiit…"

Dolph groaned as an intense pins and needles sensation gripped him. It was just this side of excruciating and was happening all over his body. He sat up slowly, rubbing his arms over and over hoping to extinguish the uncomfortable sensation. He looked around and couldn't believe how different things were here. The sun was high overhead and red, coating the landscape in a sickly orange-red glow. The sand beneath him was black and moist yet thick. There was scattered yellowish shrubbery nearby that seemed to sway with an invisible breeze though the air felt hot and still.

The Other Side was a nightmare.

And this is what AJ and Kaitlyn were living in and had been for months now.

A muffled grunt sounded to his right and he saw Big E sitting up slowly, clearly in pain. The sensation Dolph was feeling in his own extremities was beginning to dissipate so he crawled over to his best friend, before patting him lightly on the arm.

"It'll pass Big E, just give it a sec."

The large teen nodded then groaned much like Dolph had earlier when even that small movement hurt. His eyes widened though when he took in their alien surroundings and he gave Dolph a look that let the blonde know he wasn't alone in his thoughts about the girls having to survive in such a place.

"Fascinating."

Both teens looked over to see Bray Wyatt already on his feet about a yard away, looking out over the landscape. And up with him were Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. None of the men appeared to be suffering from the pins and needles although it was possible they were just ignoring it.

"We're here."

Bray laughed a little, the giddy sound a bit unsettling to the two teens as they struggled to get to their feet. Wyatt turned to look at them, his eyes bright and happy. Both Luke and Erick turned with him. Luke's face was curiously blank and Erick, well with the sheep mask covering his face, it was hard to tell just what he was thinking. But as their gaze went back to Bray it was clear to see that the man was elated.

"Didn't I tell you boys? Didn't I tell you?!" The bearded man laughed aloud, clearly excited.

Dolph shook his head. "I'm sorry okay?! But I mean, come on! I was closer to him than you and I couldn't hear him say the spell at all."

Bray smirked but didn't respond to that. Being that he was already well versed in Latin, he had been surprised to recognize and understand the words to the incantation for opening vortexes that the Lord of Darkness had whispered under his breath back at Dolph's house that fateful day.

Since that time they had spent the last couple weeks preparing for this. Bray had taken them back to his farm away from the authorities that were searching for them due to the carnage The Brothers of Destruction had left behind. The seclusion his farm provided allowed the boys to rest and heal up while Bray took the necessary steps for the 'family' to carry on in his absence. Unlike Dolph and Big E though, he was confident that they would be returning.

Ettore, his mind traveling down a similar path, shuddered a bit as he remembered their time at the farm. He and Dolph had been given a room at the farm house on the second floor, right next to Bray's in fact. And that first morning when he awoke, his body wracked with pain from the fight with Dean and the subsequent stab wound he'd been startled to see that the young girl from before, Violet, was kneeling next to his bed. A glance across the room found that Melissa was sitting on the edge of Dolph's bed, watching over him as he slept. Despite Big E's silent protests, Violet spent the day (and several after it) tending to him. And it was clear that Dolph was just as uncomfortable in garnering so much assistance from Melissa but he happened to be slightly more patient than his friend.

At the moment Bray Wyatt was looking out over the landscape, head cocked as though listening to voices only he could hear. Slowly he pointed to the west.

"There. That is where we need to go."

Dolph didn't look convinced. "But how do you…?" He left the question unfinished since Bray, Luke and Erick had already begun walking. The blonde glanced at his friend and Big E merely shrugged. Sighing Dolph patted his best friend on the shoulder and the two began following Wyatt.

The sandy terrain was rather difficult to walk in but they managed. Every so often they would hear a low chittering but when they turned towards the sound, they would spy nothing but dust that had been kicked up; never the creature that made the noise.

Time felt as though it was passing by slowly. And with each step on the heavy moist sand the teens' anxiety increased tenfold. How were AJ and Kaitlyn surviving out here? Were they even in the right place? Why haven't they seen any signs of life (or death)?

Those questions and more swirled around and around inside the boys' brains. However as they continued their trek some shapes began materializing in the distance. It appeared to be buildings. They were finally coming upon something normal! There were murmurs of excitement among the group upon this discovery.

At least until they actually neared the structures.

Dolph and Big E were dismayed to see that the houses that they were coming upon were in no way inhabitable. Every building they came across looked run down and decrepit. They were literally in a ghost town.

As they walked down the center of the main street, surveying the area as they went, a light bulb seemed to go off in Big E's brain. He stopped abruptly and grabbed Dolph's arm while pointing frantically at the sign above the nearest building. Dolph frowned, not understanding the urgency until he finally realized what he was looking at.

"Oh my god…"

At hearing his soft declaration Wyatt stopped in his tracks as did Harper and Rowan. He turned around, his expression quizzical. "What is it? What's wrong?"

The blonde glanced around wildly before turning his gaze back to Bray. "These buildings are from our hometown! This place is like a bizarro mirror image of home!"

Bray wasn't quite familiar enough with the teens' home to see what they saw but he understood the significance. This also made him a bit more leery about The Brothers of Destruction and their reasons for creating such a place. What purpose did it serve to replicate the entire town?

He didn't really get to express his concerns out loud though because at that moment an ear splitting shriek filled the air. Everyone except Erick (whom had covered his ears with his hands) froze. Seconds later the screech was heard again but this time it sounded much closer. Sufficiently alarmed the group took to arming themselves. Ettore had AJ's dagger and Dolph had Kaitlyn's sword and both had the weapons up and ready; to defend if necessary, to attack if provoked. Bray pulled the dagger of Abigail's that he'd kept after her death from a leather sheath at his hip while growling at Erick and Luke to arm themselves as well. Luke's preferred weapon was a heavy metal pipe that he pulled up and out of the pants-leg of his jeans and he took a few practice swings with it. Erick pulled a wicked looking ax from the pack on his back and lightly ran his finger across the blade, nodding to himself in apparent satisfaction.

Another high pitched shriek, this time accompanied by the beating of large wings. Five pairs of eyes looked to the sky and what they saw was not immediately comprehended. Approaching from the south, and rapidly, was what appeared to be a large flying serpent. The only thing Dolph had to compare it to in terms of size was a city bus. It was just that big. The creature appeared to be something of a chimera because only its body was serpentine. It had giant leathery wings but veiny, like a bat. But it also had talons like an eagle. It was without a doubt the most horrifying thing Dolph and Big E had ever seen and they brought their weapons up, automatically entering in defensive stances with their blades.

The creature was close enough for the group to see that it had no eyes but it shrieked several more times, indicating that it was using some form of echolocation to pick up on their positions. To further illustrate that point the creature shrieked again before diving straight for them.

"Blades up!" cried Bray. "Stand firm while we slice this beast!"

Everyone did as he said and soon the creature was upon them. It dipped low on Ettore first, clearly intending to make a meal of the boy but it made a pained hissing sound when it came in contact with the silver of his blade that he held above his head. Its wings beat furiously as it attempted to gain altitude but Luke and Erick had moved fast and were attacking it in two separate places. Luke was taking large swings at its talons and succeeded in breaking one, hobbling it. While on the other side Erick had begun hacking away at one its wings, splitting it from clawed tip to body.

When it became obvious that the serpent was no longer able to take flight the group began attacking it in earnest although Bray was shouting instructions more than he actually caused any damage. In the end it was Dolph who killed the creature. While everyone else was hacking away at it, the blonde noticed that its direct underbelly was weirdly soft. It was squirming and squealing but unable to dodge the hits that were landing so Dolph saw his chance and thrust the blade home. Viscous green blood spilled out of its body, most of it splashing on the ground while the rest covered the startled teen. A moment later the serpent finally stopped moving.

Dolph grimaced as he pulled the sword free, trying not to gag at the sound it made. A hand dropping to his shoulder made him jump and he spun around to see Bray's grinning face.

"You slayed the beast Dolph."

The teen smiled as Big E sidled up next to him. "Yeah. I guess I did."

 _"_ _And if we can take down a monster like this,"_ he thought _, "the Brother's of Destruction won't have a chance…"_

***In the castle***

It was morning and the girls were already in the dining hall devouring their breakfast. All the activity from the day before, the test and the subsequent sex had given the two a voracious appetite. For once it seemed as though the girls might match 'Taker and Kane bite for bite. They were so focused on their meal that it didn't strike them as odd that the brothers were joining them for breakfast. Always dinner, sometimes lunch but never breakfast.

It was just as well because the entire meal was silent save for the sound of chewing. Meanwhile the Brothers of Destruction argued over how to deal with the Mephistopheles invasion. They could feel him forming the vortexes needed to bring his armies to their land. And by the heaviness in the air, some of their enemies must have made it through.

_"_ _I still think we should send the girls to earth," thought 'Taker to his brother._

_"_ _And I still think that would be most unwise. Besides what if he sends someone after them? We wouldn't be able to rescue them. And if we leave the castle completely unguarded and he frees the souls we've collected…?"_

_'_ _Taker nodded. "Alright you've made your point Kane."_

Kane and Undertaker continued their silent conversation while they and the girls finished their meal. And they stayed seated even after the ghost servants came and cleared the table. This, of course, was unusual to Kaitlyn and AJ and they said as much.

"What's going on?" asked the two toned girl after wiping her mouth. She looked from one brother to the other.

"Yeah," quipped AJ flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You two have been talking the whole time, haven't you?"

Kaitlyn glanced at AJ in surprise before remembering how the Brothers of Destruction often chose to communicate.

'Taker tented his fingers above the table, trying to appear unbothered. "There's been a breach in our Other Side defenses and at this very moment there's an army of demons on their way to destroy us."

At first his blunt declaration was met with silence. It was so odd, so crazy sounding that neither girl could immediately process that information. But after a moment AJ asked the obvious question.

"What do we do?"

_"_ _We fight," answered Kane, projecting his voice into her head as well as Kaitlyn's._

Kaitlyn frowned. "That _test_ yesterday? This is what that was about? You knew it was coming didn't you?"

"Yes," replied 'Taker. "We've been in talks with the ruler of the Underworld, Mephistopheles for quite some time. He feels that we owe him something but we haven't been indebted to him in almost a century. Simply put, he wants us to be his slaves. I'm sure you can understand why we'd find that disagreeable."

Kaitlyn gave a wry laugh and next to her AJ giggled while shaking her head.

Yeah they understood.

Kane frowned under his mask and gave 'Taker a look.

Choosing to ignore the irony of his last comment and the girls' subsequent reaction to it, Undertaker stood up from the table and Kane followed suit.

"Come on, we're going outside."

When the group made it to the front of the castle the girls were disgusted to see the giant Hounds already out there waiting for them.

Dean's face was petulant, pouting like a small child would. Seth's was sullen but with an undercurrent of anger. Roman, like yesterday was trying to keep his face carefully blank but still somehow appeared to be a little sad. The beast's 4 hands were all hanging at its sides loosely and it shifted from large foot to large foot. And like Undertaker had said, they (him? it?) were completely healed.

AJ couldn't stop her lip from curling in disgust as she stared at the Hounds' body. But when her eyes met Dean's she had to look away. It was obvious that he still wanted her as evidenced by the heat in his gaze but now there was something else. Something that she hadn't ever seen in him before and that was begrudging respect. After yesterday Dean now had firsthand knowledge that AJ could protect herself from him. That tempered his lust for her like nothing else would.

Well that and the threatening conversation Undertaker and Kane had had with them earlier this morning.

Undertaker and Kane began discussing their strategies for taking Mephistopheles and his horde of demon slaves down. The brothers talked about positions, where AJ, Kaitlyn and the Hounds were to be to best surprise their enemy. He wanted the Hounds to guard the caverns as they were most familiar with that area and could use the site to their advantage. And because of their recent tests, 'Taker wanted AJ and Kaitlyn both in the Valley. He was certain that it would be the safest place for them to fight because they knew how to deal with the dangers there when Mephistopheles and his minions would not. Naturally the Brothers of Destruction wanted to stay near the castle to defend their home. A good portion of their power came from the nightmare happening in the dungeons and if Mephistopheles somehow found a way inside, it would cripple them and the teens. The damage wouldn't be irreparable but it would almost halve their energy making them weak enough to fail at this.

Just as he began laying out different plans of attack, the group heard the beating of large wings causing them all to look up and spy the dragon circling overhead. Despite the serious discussion going on both girls squealed with surprise and happiness. Hearing them, the dragon circled once more before landing heavily about ten feet away from where everyone was standing. Its head bobbed a couple of times as if in greeting while it folded its wings back. Ignoring 'Taker's protests Kaitlyn and AJ both went over to the creature and immediately began lavishing it with pats and attention in addition to their kind words.

'Taker growled in frustration as he watched the scene unfold. He felt like the girls didn't understand the danger they were in. There simply was no time to sit and play with the dragon. Not when the ruler of the Underworld was coming to wipe them all out. He was about to go over there to let his displeasure be known when he felt a hand drop onto his shoulder.

Kane gave Undertaker a knowing look. _"Brother, we talked about this. Let them bond with the creature."_

_'_ _Taker gave his brother an incredulous look. "Do I need to remind you about what's happening?! We don't have time for this!"_

_Kane shrugged. "The dragon's odd need for affection is of no consequence. We're going to destroy Mephistopheles. The more I think about it, the more confident I am. Leave them be for a moment."_

'Taker rumbled something unintelligible under his breath but left it alone.

The Hounds watched all of this unfold unsure of what to think or how to feel. The dragon's presence wasn't particularly alarming considering the things they'd seen and… become. But Undertaker's concern and the girls' lack of it was interesting to say the least. Out of the three heads, Dean was probably the one most looking forward to the war. Spilling blood was always a favorite pastime of his when he was human and now that he was virtually an unstoppable killing machine? He was eager to test the limits of their new form. Seth and Roman had always followed Dean in the past, happy to join in his quests to wreak havoc. For Seth, that hadn't changed. He was ready to join in this war, excited to dole out a most brutal justice for those that sought to destroy them. Roman would lend his strength but his 'heart' just wasn't in it.

There was a sudden and intense wind that seemed to pick up out of nowhere. It was electrically charged and carried with it the crackling sound Kaitlyn and AJ associated with vortexes. Alarmed they looked back towards Kane and the Undertaker who appeared to be looking up to the sky in question. Before they got the chance to ask what was happening the sky went completely black and suddenly there was no air to breathe. Since there was no air to breathe, the girls couldn't speak, they couldn't scream. As they lost consciousness their last thoughts were filled with conflicting memories of the Brothers of Destruction and of Dolph and Big E.

**Near The Valley**

Mephistopheles finally broke through his hastily created vortex to enter the Other Side. He chose this spot in particular because he knew Undertaker and Kane better than they thought. This was obviously the place most likely to contain their newly bonded playmates and he oh so badly wanted to meet them.

However as soon as he stepped onto the squishy moist soil he knew something was wrong. There was a presence here that he hadn't felt in centuries. Faint but here nonetheless. The sudden wind swept through the area and Mephistopheles let out a howl of anger and frustration. The sky went black and he just knew that this was going to be a way to screw him over.

**Someplace new**

When AJ first regained consciousness she was relieved to note that there was none of the pins and needles she'd grown accustomed to after traveling through a vortex. But just as quickly she realized that none of them had actually opened one, nor did she remember traveling through one. She opened her eyes to find that she was in a place she'd never been before. It was dark, the terrain rocky and there was a chill in the air. She sat up slowly and called out,

"Kaitlyn?"

"I'm here sis." The two-toned girl was right behind AJ and sitting up as well. "What the hell happened? Where are we?!"

AJ stared at her incredulously. "You're asking _me_?!"

Kaitlyn chuckled at her absurd question before standing. She reached a hand down to AJ and helped her friend to her feet as well. "I know, I know. It was a dumb question."

"Well I have another question," asked the brunette. "Where's Kane? 'Taker?"

Kaitlyn fixed her mouth to say she hadn't seen them when a loud booming voice said, "They're somewhere close. I wanted to speak to you two alone for a moment."

Both girls spun in a circle trying to spy the speaker but saw no one.

"Who's there?!" called Kaitlyn.

There was a sudden bright flash of light that momentarily left both girls blind and stunned for a few seconds. When they could open their eyes, standing a few feet away was a man. He was dressed in a rather dapper blue and grey suit and his hands were in his pockets. He walked slowly towards them while bringing his hands up to show he meant them no harm.

As he neared them the girls could tell he was powerful. His magic, his essence was making the air heavy, pressing on them like an invisible weight. They knew that they shouldn't underestimate him.

Smirking the man put both his hands back in his pockets. "I brought you here," he said. "I wanted to speak with you, specifically about this impending war."

"We have nothing to do with it," blurted Kaitlyn. "We _want_ nothing to do with it."

The man cocked his head to the side, apparently studying them. "You were planning to throw it weren't you? You were going to lay down on the front lines. Just lie down and die."

Neither girl disputed his claim but they didn't deny it either.

The man in the suit rolled his shoulders back. "What if I told you that that wouldn't be in your best interest? What if I told you that your death would mean centuries of punishment for the ones you love?"

AJ frowned up at him. "What're you talking about? Ettore and Dolph are back home. What could possibly happen to them?"

"If you two fall on your metaphorical swords on some misguided attempt at freedom Mephistopheles will own 'Taker and Kane. He will make _you_ suffer to in turn make _them_ suffer. I'll spare you the details but it'll get ugly fast. Your town will become a beacon even moreso for heinous acts. His supreme evil will take it over. Your boys will wish they were dead long before Mephistopheles tires of them."

"No. No!" cried Kaitlyn shaking her head. "How are we supposed to believe you? Why should we trust you?"

"I have a vested interest in the outcome of all of this. I control the balance of power between all the portals and vortexes in all dimensions. If there is an actual war the balance I've spent a millennia keeping in check will shift. It's a brand of chaos I quite simply don't want to deal with. Mephistopheles oversteps his bounds too much as it is. If he were to win this war he'd feel he was unstoppable. Exempt as it were." The suited man sighed dramatically and crossed his arms over his chest.

AJ clutched Kaitlyn's arm so tightly she was leaving small finger shaped bruises behind. "Maybe we should listen to him…"

Again Kaitlyn shook her head. "I don't want to. I don't care! I'm done! Done with all of this shit!"

The man in the suit wrinkled his nose as if annoyed by her words. "What if I told you that your boys were already on the Other Side?"

AJ bit her lip and Kaitlyn let out a whispered, "No." That was impossible! They couldn't be!

The man nodded, a grin coming to his face. "Yes, they arrived half a day ago. Even the Brothers were unaware of their arrival. Though I doubt they'd have said anything if they knew. Those two know full well how you girls were bound to react to the news."

As if to prove his point the man snapped both his fingers and a pissed off looking Ettore and a bewildered looking Dolph Ziggler appeared before them in a burst of white light. AJ's jaw dropped and a shriek left her lips; so high it hurt everyone's ears. She leaped into Big E's arms and frantically kissed him all over his face, babbling so much the words had lost all meaning. Big E only grinned, hugging her small body tightly against his frame. Since they'd left Earth this all had felt like the most fucked up dream ever but to finally have AJ with him again made everything worth it.

Dolph had to go to Kaitlyn because her limbs refused to work. She couldn't move her legs she was in so much shock. All she could do was stare at the teen she loved so much as he walked towards her. Only when he enveloped her in his arms did she finally break down. Her head rested on his shoulder as slow tears fell while she sobbed. Dolph rubbed her back before pressing a soft kiss to her neck.

"Hi."

It was a minute before the two toned girl could stop crying. Eyes red and puffy she couldn't help but give Dolph a watery smile as he used his thumb to wipe away her tears. She leaned in for a kiss, moaning slightly when it was returned. Oh how she had missed him! Dolph squeezed her once more before pulling back so that he could see her face.

"Love ya babe."

The suited man watched the teens reunite, not bothering to hide his interest. Human emotions were always the most fascinating to witness. He heard AJ clearing her throat and he turned to her.

"Yes?"

The petite teen pointed at him. "Are… are you God?"

The suited man laughed. "No. I am most certainly not an alpha or omega. I'm just the keeper of balance. That's all. You may call me McMahon if you like."

"Is that your name?" asked Dolph.

"Eh more or less," answered the man with a shrug. "It'll serve for our purposes anyway."

"I think there is something you're not telling us," added Dolph, his eyes narrowing.

McMahon only laughed and snapped his fingers. This time Undertaker and Kane appeared in front of them along with a man none of the teens had seen before. He emitted a rather wild sick energy and was glaring at them all with a distasteful sneer. The four teens figured he had to be Mephistopheles, the bringer of war to the Other Side.

For the moment 'Taker and Kane chose not to acknowledge that AJ and Kaitlyn were in the arms of the teenage boys. All their attention went to McMahon and Mephistopheles.

The man who was not a man abruptly broke out into a grin. "Gentlemen! How kind of you to surrender! I promise I'll take it easy on you for the first hundred years you spend as my slaves."

"Now hold on there," interrupted McMahon. "That's not why I brought you all here."

Big E glanced over the top of AJ's head to Dolph and mouthed the sentence, _"Where's Bray?"_

Dolph nodded and glanced back at the suited man, "We're not _all_ here McMahon."

"Ah, you're right. My apologies." He snapped his fingers once more and the three members of the Wyatt family appeared. Bray shook his head slowly as if disoriented before he finally focused on the individuals around them. When he first saw that the girls appeared to be safe and in the arms of Big E and Dolph he started to relax. But then he spied the Brothers of Destruction and two unknown men and his silent alarm ratcheted back up. He was flanked by Luke and Erick but for the first time he did not feel safe with them at his back. It was clear the Brothers weren't the only strange unworldly men in his midst.

"Well, now that we're all here," said McMahon clapping his hands. "I want to share my thoughts with you. My only interest is in keeping things balanced between worlds; that's it. I don't give a fuck which side wins or loses. I just want all things equal. Capische?"

When there was no response he decided to continue. "What I'm proposing is a completely fair way for you all to settle your differences. A tournament. Underworld vs. Other Side. Winner usurps the loser. This way the balance stays in check but you get to kill each other however you see fit."

Undertaker rubbed his goatee, eyes narrowing at McMahon. "Do we have any say in this matter?"

"Of course! You can decide who will fight for your side. It's probably best if you remember that each fight will likely be to the death. So choose wisely."

Mephistopheles grinned. As the ruler of the Underworld, death was his specialty. This was going to be a piece of cake. They were all as good as dead.


End file.
